The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was formally passed by the United Nations General Assembly on September 13, 2007. It sets out the “minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the Indigenous peoples of the world” (Article 43).
I have divided the UNDRIP into the thematic categories that it addresses. There are a number of different ways to organize the UNDRIP as the rights are interconnected. Each thematic category contains a summary of the rights, brief discussions and examples and then questions for reflection and activity.
Who are Indigenous Peoples?
Indigenous peoples live in every country around the world. They share these characteristics:
- A culture (including social and political organizations) that is different from the dominate culture of the place they live
- Their ancestors were living on the land before and when it was colonized
- They identify as Indigenous peoples (self-identification)
This definition is summarized from the International Labor Organization Convention 169.
Where can I read the entire UNDRIP?
You can download the official version of the UNDRIP here as a pdf.
This is a simplified version of the UNDRIP in docx. that I wrote. Please distribute freely and alter if needed.
Who is the site for?
Anyone!
Knowing human rights allows for individuals and groups to understand themselves within an international legal framework and advocate for their rights. This is critical consciousness: to understand yourself in society and be empowered by that knowledge. This is discussed in the Indigenous Education section.
What are the limitations of this site?
I have tried to be as inclusive as possible in showcasing situations from Indigneous peoples around the world. It should be noted that I struggled to include information relevant to Indigenous peoples living on the African continent. I think this lack of available information highlights their marginalization. In choosing content, I tried to select examples that are more accessible to people who are English language learners. For basically every situation discussed, there are multiple possible examples of rights violations and struggles to access rights.