The human race is made up of many different nationalities and groups of people. Indigenous people are those who are native to a certain area. The term is often used to describe the original inhabitants of areas that are now populated by people from other parts of the world.
Indigenous peoples are inheritors and practitioners of unique cultures and ways of relating to people and the environment. They have retained social, cultural, economic and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live. Despite their cultural differences, indigenous peoples from around the world share common problems related to the protection of their rights as distinct peoples.
Indigenous peoples have sought recognition of their identities, way of life and their right to traditional lands, territories and natural resources for years, yet throughout history; their rights have always been violated. Indigenous peoples today, are arguably among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of people in the world. The international community now recognizes that special measures are required to protect their rights and maintain their distinct cultures and way of life. Find below a short history of the indigenous struggle in the international stage.
While making up less than five percent of the world’s population, indigenous people account for 15 percent of the poorest. They’re more likely to suffer from malnutrition, and often lack adequate social protection and economic resources. The international community recognizes that special measures are required to protect their rights and maintain their distinct cultures.
The life expectancy of indigenous people is as much as 20 years lower than that of their non-indigenous counterparts. Often lacking adequate healthcare and information, they are more likely to get diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS.
More than one in three indigenous women are sexually assaulted during their lifetime, and they also have higher rates of maternal mortality, teen pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases. The Declaration on the Right of Indigenous People draws attention to the needs and rights of indigenous women and calls for action to protect them from violence. Indigenous peoples are inheritors and practitioners of unique cultures and ways of living.?Nearly 70 million indigenous women and men depend on forests for their livelihoods, and many more are farmers, hunter gatherers or pastoralists.
These communities thrive by living in harmony with their surroundings. Research shows that where indigenous groups have control of the land, forests and biodiversity flourishes. Indigenous communities’ contribution to fighting climate change are far greater than previously thought. Their forestlands store at least one quarter of all above-ground tropical forest carbon – about 55 trillion metric tonnes. This is?equivalent to four times the total global carbon emissions in 2014. Given that data isn’t available for all the lands native communities manage around the world, the actual impact is far greater.
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