Udmurt was an UNPO member between 1993 and 2013. 

Historically, the Udmurt Kenesh used UNPO to highlight threats to Udmurt cultural, linguistic, and educational rights within the Russian Federation, arguing for the right to self-determination, control over regional resources, and institutional support for their native language and identity.  A central issue has been the gradual decline of the Udmurt language and its public use. Although the Udmurt language is officially recognised in the Udmurt Republic, in practice there is no comprehensive Udmurt-medium education at any level and media output in Udmurt is extremely limited. Language activists and cultural organisations (supported by Udmurt Kenesh) have repeatedly called for comprehensive language‑policy reforms: bilingual signage, public services in Udmurt, expanded Udmurt-language media, and institutional financing for language and cultural programmes.

Socio-economic and demographic change has also undermined cultural resilience. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, economic hardship and industrial shifts pushed many Udmurts toward Russian-language urban centres, weakening rural communities where Udmurt culture and language remained stronger. Some cultural activists and civil‑society organisations continue to press for equitable resource management, environmental protection of ancestral lands (timber, forest, natural environment), and regional governance that respects Udmurt interests, rather than privileging Russian‑language majorities.

The Udmurts are a Finno‑Ugric people whose language, Udmurt language, belongs to the Permic branch of the Uralic family. Their traditional homeland lies between the rivers Kama and Vyatka and their communities historically inhabited forested and agrarian landscapes in what is now the Udmurt Republic.Udmurt cultural life historically combined folk traditions, music, oral literature, craftsmanship, and Indigenous spiritual beliefs and practices. Folk songs, traditional music (including use of traditional instruments), and cultural festivals remain important ways of expressing Udmurt identity. Over the 20th century, a Udmurt literary standard developed and there was a flourishing of Udmurt-language literature, song, and culture—though this has been undermined by later russification pressures.

The Udmurts are indigenous to the region between the Kama and Vyatka Rivers in the western foothills of the Ural Mountains. Their name derives from a Finno‑Ugric autonym meaning “meadow people.” Following the Mongol conquest in 1236, southern Udmurt territories were controlled by the Kazan Khanate, while northern areas came under Russian rule. During the Soviet era, the Udmurt Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was established, providing some cultural recognition but limited self-governance. After the USSR’s collapse, the Udmurt Republic signed agreements with the Russian Federation on property, law enforcement, and resource management. In 1996, a law guaranteed education in Udmurt, but its practical implementation has been undermined by centralisation and russification.

In recent years, language revitalisation programs and cultural initiatives have been introduced in Udmurtia, including digital tools, language courses, and festivals promoting Udmurt music and folklore. However, demographic decline continues, and younger generations increasingly migrate to urban centers, limiting participation in rural cultural life. Federal policies continue to centralise administrative control, restricting local governance and further reducing opportunities for Udmurt-language instruction in schools. Despite these pressures, community organisations continue to advocate for language preservation, cultural promotion, and political recognition of Udmurt interests within the Russian Federation.