9 August: International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples – 2022 and its Significance

OV Digital Desk
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International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

Image Courtesy: https://www.unesco.org/

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is observed every year on 9 August. This campaign aims to raise awareness and protect the rights of indigenous populations throughout the world. As part of this event, indigenous people are also recognized for their achievements and contributions to improving world issues such as environmental preservation. In December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed it, commemorating the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations under the Sub-Commission on Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in 1982.

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The theme of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples- 2022

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is observed every year on 9 August. The theme of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples- 2022 is “The Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge”. The theme for previous years is as follows:

  • 2021: “Leaving no one behind: Indigenous peoples and the call for a new social contract”
  • 2020: “COVID-19 and indigenous peoples’ resilience”
  • 2019: “Indigenous Languages”
  • 2018: “Indigenous Peoples’ Migration and Movement”
  • 2017: “Tenth Anniversary of the Adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”
  • 2016: “Indigenous Peoples’ Right to Education”
  • 2015: “Post 2015 Agenda: Ensuring indigenous peoples’ health and well-being”
  • 2014: “Bridging the gap: implementing the rights of indigenous peoples”
  • 2013: Indigenous peoples building alliances: Honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements
  • 2012: Indigenous Media, Empowering Indigenous Voices
  • 2011: Indigenous designs: celebrating stories and cultures, crafting their own future
  • 2010: Celebrating Indigenous Film Making
  • 2009: Indigenous Peoples and HIV/AIDS
  • 2008: Reconciliation between States and indigenous peoples
  • 2007: Urgent need to preserve indigenous languages
  • 2006: Indigenous Peoples: human rights, dignity and development with identity
  • 2005: The Cause of Indigenous Peoples is Ours
Quick facts World’s Indigenous Peoples

Here are quick facts about World’s Indigenous Peoples:

  • Globally, 47% of all indigenous peoples in employment have no education, compared to 17% of their non-indigenous counterparts. This gap is even wider for women.
  • There are an estimated 476 million indigenous peoples in the world living across 90 countries. They make up less than 5 per cent of the world’s population, but account for 15 per cent of the poorest.
  • More than 86% of indigenous peoples globally work in the informal economy, compared to 66% for their non-indigenous counterparts
  • Indigenous peoples are nearly three times as likely to be living in extreme poverty compared to their non-indigenous counterparts.
History of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

The United Nations General Assembly decided in its resolution 49/214 on 23 December 1994 to observe the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People on 9 August every year. In 1982, the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations held its first meeting on this date.

Throughout the world, people are encouraged to spread the UN’s message concerning the protection and promotion of indigenous rights on this day.

The UN headquarters in New York will host a variety of events, including messages from high-level UN officials, governments, indigenous peoples and other key leaders; performances by indigenous artists; and panel discussions on emerging issues. Throughout the world, other events are also held in celebration of this day.

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The Year 1993 had been proclaimed the International Year of the World’s Indigenous People by the UN General Assembly, and the same year the Assembly proclaimed the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People.

The goal of the First International Decade was to strengthen international cooperation for solving problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as human rights, the environment, development, education and health. The Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People ran from 2005 to 2015.

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