Causecast

by SARAH NELSON, Contributing Writer

The rights of indigenous people have long been a topic of debate among the world powers. Even decades after the decline of colonization, the remnants of injustice remain. We’ll skip the history lesson, and just agree that nothing good ever comes from one group of humans believing their rights are more important than anyone else’s rights.

Following more than twenty years of debate, the United Nations has finally adopted a landmark manifesto of basic human rights for the approximately 400 million indigenous people around the world. The document comes as an effort to rectify the historical injustice and ongoing discrimination against indigenous peoples around the world. In the past, basic human rights for the indigenous have been largely ignored by state governments, often leaving indigenous groups marginalized and disenfranchised in their own countries.

The Declaration of Rights for Indigenous People, originally drafted in 2006, is an effort to preserve the principles of equality and respect among all peoples, and "emphasizes the need to maintain indigenous tradition and preserve culture." The document defines individual and shared rights of indigenous people extending beyond basic rights, to also include economic and social development, as well as religious recognition. While the text is not binding, it does create a great deal of pressure for nations that are currently in arrant violation of the rights declared. It’s all about positive peer pressure.

Studies are currently under way to assess the conditions of indigenous groups with a goal of resolving the disconnect between policy and the rights of indigenous people when it comes to state priorities. Often times, nations will operate by a standard of asking forgiveness, rather than permission, when it comes to what land they commandeer and whose rights they infringe upon. Indigenous groups are often threatened, bullied or forced from their land in the spirit of economic developments, the benefits of which don’t usually apply to them. The Declaration encourages civil interaction between state governments and indigenous peoples.

Most countries studied have been open to the evaluation of their progress and supported the adoption of the declaration. Yet, others have criticized and refused to support the document, citing encroachment on state sovereignty and confusion over the definition of "indigenous peoples." Canada, for example, has affirmed the "spirit of the document," but could not support the declaration itself because it "contains provisions that are fundamentally incompatible with Canada’s constitutional framework." Oh, Canada.

Now, before you start blaming our northern neighbors, you should know the Canadians are not alone in their apprehension to support the document. The United States and Australia were among the initial hold outs (and past indigenous peoples’ rights violators, I might add), citing concern over the integrity of the political systems that stand to be reformed under the current text of the document. However, the U.S. has expressed interest in re-evaluating their position on the declaration and our friends down under have taken steps to improve the socioeconomic conditions of indigenous groups.

While the actual practice of the Declaration of Rights continues to develop, the adoption of the document and the effort to bring awareness to the need for equality is a step in the right direction. The United Nations notes that the document is not a new provision of human rights, but is actually based on existing rights that are already guaranteed by the United Nations system, but over time, have been grossly denied to indigenous peoples. It’s not a matter of adding anything new, so much as setting things right that should have already been solved, while creating a constructive framework for the future.

To view the entire Declaration of Rights for Indigenous Peoples and learn more about the history and development of the Declaration, visit the United Nations Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues.

Check out Causecast featured organization, Amnesty International for information on Human Rights issues around the world and how you can be part of fight for human rights.

Photo by Keith Bacongco, flickr.