25 May: Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories 2023 and its Significance

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Non-Self-Governing Territories

The observation Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories aimed to show support to Non-Self-Governing Territories. Non-Self-Governing Territories are those whose citizens have not yet achieved full self-government. The observation begins on 25 May and concludes on 31 May.

Several UN Member States identified a number of territories under their administration that were not self-governing in 1946 and placed them on a UN list. Non-Self-Governing Territories are administered by countries known as administering powers. Most of the Territories have been removed from the list due to the decolonization process over the years.

Theme of Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories 2022

The observation Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories aimed to show support to Non-Self-Governing Territories. Non-Self-Governing Territories are those whose citizens have not yet achieved full self-government. The observation begins on 25 May and concludes on 31 May. There is no specific theme.

UN observation of International Decades

Quick Facts about Non-Self-Governing Territories

Here are quick facts about the Non-Self-Governing Territories.

  • At present, there are 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories remaining.
  • Western Sahara with an area if 266000 Sq.km has been on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories since 1963 after a Moroccan demand. It was Occupied by Spain until 1975. In 1975, Spain relinquished the administrative control of the territory to a joint administration by Morocco
LIST OF NON-SELF-GOVERNING TERRITORIES BY REGION
TERRITORYLISTING AS NSGTADMINISTERING POWERLAND AREA (sq.km.)POPULATION
AFRICA
Western SaharaSince 1963Morocco266,000612,000
ATLANTIC AND CARIBBEAN
AnguillaSince 1946United Kingdom9615,500
BermudaSince 1946United Kingdom53.3564,055
British Virgin IslandsSince 1946United Kingdom15331,197
Cayman IslandsSince 1946United Kingdom26465,786
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)Since 1946United Kingdom12,173Approximately 3,200
MontserratSince 1946United Kingdom1034,626
Saint HelenaSince 1946United Kingdom3104,439
Turks and Caicos IslandsSince 1946United Kingdom948.246,131
United States Virgin IslandsSince 1946United States35287,146
EUROPE
GibraltarSince 1946United Kingdom5.834,003
PACIFIC
American SamoaSince 1946United States20049,710
French Polynesia1946-1947 and since 2013France3,600279,300
GuamSince 1946United States540153,836
New Caledonia1946-1947 and since 1986France18,575271,407
PitcairnSince 1946United Kingdom35.546
TokelauSince 1946New Zealand12.21,647
International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism

UN declared consecutive 40 years in form 4 decades International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism

  • First International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (1990 – 2000)
  • In 2000, the General Assembly declared the period 2001 to 2010 the Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism.
  • In 2010, the General Assembly declaring the period 2011-2020 the Third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism and calling upon Member States to intensify their efforts to continue to implement the plan of action for the Second International Decade and to cooperate with the C-24 in updated it as necessary, with a view to using it as the basis for a plan of action for the Third International Decade.
  • In 2020, the General Assembly adopted resolution declaring the period 2021-2030 the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. This resolution called upon Member States to intensify their efforts to continue to implement the plan of action for the Second International Decade

History of Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories

In 1946, eight Member States – Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States – listed 72 Territories under their administration, which they considered to be non-self-governing. Eight became independent before 1959.

Transmission of information by the administering Power was discontinued for 21 Non-Self-Governing Territories for various reasons. In some cases, such as Greenland, Alaska and Hawaii, the General Assembly accepted the cessation of information; in others, the decision was taken unilaterally by the administering Power.

From 1960 to 2002, 54 Territories attained self-government. At present, there are 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories remaining.

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