The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, celebrated annually on August 9, was established by the UN General Assembly in 1994. This date marks the beginning of an important path towards recognising and protecting the rights of indigenous peoples who have historically been discriminated against and marginalised.
Indigenous Peoples, who have a deep connection with the territory of their residence, have a unique culture, languages and traditions. Although there is still no universal definition of this term in international law, the common is the desire to preserve one's ethnic and cultural heritage.
Since the middle of the 20th century, attention to the rights of indigenous peoples at the international level has begun to grow significantly. The turning point was in the 1970s, when the UN initiated research on discrimination against indigenous peoples. As a result of these studies, a working group on indigenous peoples was established in 1982.
The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples adopted in 2007 was an important step in international practice. The document recognizes the right of indigenous peoples to self-determination, the preservation of their cultural traditions and participation in decision-making concerning their lives.
Today, there are about 476 million people belonging to indigenous populations, which is less than 5% of the world population, but at the same time they represent about 15% of the world's poorest population. They speak 7 thousand languages, of which 40% are endangered.
There are 47 small indigenous peoples living in Russia, in total comprising less than 50 thousand people. These peoples, while maintaining their traditional way of life, continue to have a significant impact on the cultural and ethnic diversity of the country.
The theme of this year’s International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is Protection of the rights of indigenous peoples in conditions of voluntary isolation and at the stage of initial contacts. About 200 indigenous groups live in voluntary isolation, maintaining their unique culture and language. These peoples are also key defenders of forests, which confirms the importance of their rights to land and territories.
The international community continues to strengthen cooperation to protect the rights of indigenous peoples, ensuring their participation in global processes and supporting their desire to preserve their identity in a changing world.
Source: Arctic Century
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