In a historic vote on September 13, 2007, 144 countries voted for the Declaration, only 11 abstained, and only four (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States) voted against it. Since 2007, all four countries, including the United States, have reversed their positions and now officially endorse the Declaration.
The Declaration is the outcome of 25 years of hard negotiations by Indigenous leaders. The rights spelled out in the document "constitute the minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the Indigenous Peoples of the world." The Declaration protects collective rights and individual rights of Indigenous Peoples in relation to self-government, land, education, employment, health and other areas.
The Declaration also requires countries to consult with Indigenous Peoples with the goal of obtaining their consent on matters which concern them. As explained by former UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya, the right of self-determination is "to be full and equal participants in the creation of the institutions of government under which they live and, further, to live within a governing institutional order in which they are perpetually in control of their own destinies."
While several countries have made steps towards aligning their policies with the standards enshrined in the Declaration, however, a large implementation gap remains.
Listen to Les Malezer (Gubbi Gubbi), former Expert member on the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, on commemorating 13 years of the Declaration. Malezer with the Global Indigenous Peoples Caucus worked to advance the Declaration through the final stages to the UN General Assembly in 2007.
Read to our anniversary issue of the Cultural Survival Quarterly on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Listen to our Indigenous Right Radio Programs on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Escucha nuestros programas de radio sobre la Declaración de la ONU sobre los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas en español.
Escuche y descargue los 46 articulos de la Declaración de las Naciones Unidas sobre los Derechos de los Pueblos Indigenas, junto con una explicación simple de que significa para usted y su comunidad.
Learn about the Articles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Listen to our radio series breaking down each of the 46 articles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
International World Indigenous Peoples Day
Indigenous leaders use the International World Indigenous Peoples Day to reflect on progress and setbacks of implementing the high goals set by the declaration.
Articles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Kakchiqel
Read the UN Declaration in Indigenous Languages
Aymara - provided by COINCABOL Guarani - provided by the UNDP, Paraguay Maori (spoken in New Zealand) Mapuche - provided by UNIC, Argentina Miskito (spoken in Nicaragua and Honduras) Mohawk (spoken in North America) Sami (North) - provided by Finnish Sámi Parliament
...and in more languages here.
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Cultural Survival advocates for Indigenous Peoples' rights and supports Indigenous communities’ self-determination, cultures and political resilience since 1972. We envision a future that respects and honors Indigenous Peoples' inherent rights and dynamic cultures, deeply and richly interwoven in lands, languages, spiritual traditions, and artistic expression, rooted in self-determination and self-governance.
