International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2023: "Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination."

World Tribal Day 2023

International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples observed on August 9 aims to promote and protect the rights of indigenous populations.

The theme of World Tribal Day in 2023 is "Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination."

Mwila people are of Bantu origin and are said to be one of the earliest Bantu people to undertake the Great Bantu migration to domicile in their present location in Angola.

International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples also known as World Tribal Day is observed every year on August 9 to promote and protect the rights of indigenous populations around the world. The day attempts to honour their distinctive cultures, languages, customs, and social contributions. This occasion offers a chance to spread awareness of the difficulties and problems that indigenous populations confront, such as land rights, cultural preservation, prejudice, marginalisation, and social and economic inequities. Today is a great time to work to defend the fundamental rights of the global tribal community. From history to significance, here is all the information you need about this day.

History of World Tribal Day

The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is to be marked annually on August 9, according to a decision made by the UN General Assembly in December 1994. The day was picked in honour of the 1982 Geneva-based Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights inaugural meeting, which served as the inspiration for the date.

Indigenous Peoples and the 2030 Agenda

The United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development titled “Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” on 25 September 2015. The Agenda came into effect on 1 January 2016 and will carry through the next 15 years. It is a broad and universal policy agenda, with 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 associated targets which are described as integrated and indivisible. The Agenda promises to leave no one behind and reach the furthest behind first.

Background

As a result of indigenous peoples’ strong engagement in the process towards the 2030 Agenda, the final resolution “Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”  (A/RES/70/1) refers to indigenous peoples 6 times, three times in the political declaration; two in the targets under Goal 2 on Zero Hunger (target 2.3) and Goal 4 on education (target 4.5) – and one in the section on follow up and review that calls for indigenous peoples’ participation. See this overview of references to indigenous peoples: Indigenous Peoples and the 2030 Agenda Infographics

Apart from the direct references, many of the Sustainable Development Goals and associated targets are relevant for indigenous peoples. Moreover, the overarching framework of the 2030 Agenda contains numerous elements that can go towards articulating the development concerns of indigenous peoples. Of significance is the fact that human rights principles and standards are strongly reflected in the 2030 Agenda (A/RES/70/1 paragraph 10). Moreover, the 2030 Agenda overall focus on reducing inequalities is of particular relevance to indigenous peoples, who are almost universally in situations of disadvantage vis-à-vis other segments of the population.

The global indicator framework that will measure progress of implementation of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) includes two indicators that refers directly to indigenous peoples (Indicator 2.3.2 and 4.5.1) and several other indicators that are relevant for indigenous peoples, particularly indicator 1.4.2 and 5.a.1 on land rights. Moreover, there has been much focus on the need of disaggregation of data which the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues among others have been advocating for. The global indicator list states that “SDG indicators should be disaggregated, where relevant, by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability and geographic location, or other characteristics, in accordance with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics“. The global indicator framework was agreed by the Statistical Commission in 2017 as a voluntary and country-led instrument, but will still be work in progress and adjusted as necessary in the upcoming years. At this stage, indicators are being developed at the national and regional level. The full list of indicators is accessible here.

KEY MESSAGES

_ The involvement of indigenous peoples is key to achieving the ambitions of the SDGs. On the one hand, they hold valuable knowledge and traditions that provide solutions to major challenges, including those related to sustainable natural resource management, climate resilience, and promoting food systems that provide healthy nutrition for all. On the other hand, their exclusion and marginalization threatens the central tenet of the 2030 Agenda – to leave no one behind.

_ Bringing indigenous peoples on board requires building mutually beneficial partnerships with their communities and organizations, underpinned by respect for indigenous peoples’ rights and livelihoods, as well as for upholding their intellectual property rights.

_ Engagement with indigenous peoples, their land and resources, must be informed by mechanisms to involve their organizations in decision-making processes and to ensure the principle of free, prior and informed consent is respected, as enshrined in international standards. 

Internationally negotiated policy tools, such as those of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), provide guidance on how to achieve this in practice.

 In a world where conflicts, injustice, and social inequality and instability continue to impede the promotion of sustainable development, the way that indigenous peoples’ traditions and systems contribute to peaceful and inclusive societies merits global attention and support. 

In particular, the way that governance, participation, and production are organized in indigenous peoples’ communities, with the participation of all members and for the shared benefit of all members, is noteworthy. In addition, the lack of recognition and realization of the rights of indigenous peoples’ communities is itself a source of tension and strife. 

Indigenous peoples’ communities are tightly bound to key elements of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies (SDG 16).

In addition to the above-mentioned goals on hunger, the environment and climate, and peaceful societies, in contexts where issues related to the exclusion of indigenous peoples from the benefits of development – and failure to uphold their rights – are not adequately addressed, it will be impossible to end poverty (SDG 1), achieve gender equality (SDG 5) or reduce inequalities (SDG 10). 

Further, only by ensuring participation, recognition and equitable sharing in the benefits of development for indigenous people can the central pledge of leaving no one behind become a reality. 

All the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are highly relevant to indigenous peoples; indeed, it is alarming that while many indigenous peoples’ territories host projects related to economic and energy development, millions of indigenous peoples in rural areas do not have access to basic social services such as education, health, energy and livelihood support. 

The overarching principles and dimensions of the SDGs as they pertain to indigenous peoples need to be put into action across the agenda.

Indigenous peoples play a unique and valuable role in ensuring the sustainable management of a significant share of the world’s lands, ecosystems and biodiversity. Indeed, the territories of indigenous peoples are home to 80 per cent of the world’s biodiversity.

 Equally important, the food systems of indigenous peoples are anchored in sustainable livelihoods and the principle of ensuring the food sovereignty and well-being of communities.

It is therefore an especially unfortunate reality that indigenous peoples are among the people most likely to be left behind – poverty rates among the world’s estimated 476 million indigenous peoples are significantly higher than for populations at large – as a result of discrimination, historic injustices, and inability (or, in some cases, lack of political willingness) to protect their internationally enshrined rights to their lands and territories.

 

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