What is the UN Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?
Indigenous peoples’ human rights in Australia (and elsewhere) were grossly violated by colonisation that resulted in past and ongoing injustices.
The declaration recognises and lists those rights with the purpose of addressing those injustices.
Professor Kevin Bell goes on to explain, a key right in the declaration is Article 4:
“Indigenous peoples, in exercising their right to self-determination, have the right to autonomy or self-government in matters relating to their internal and local affairs, as well as ways and means for financing their autonomous functions.”
The declaration was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007 after 20 years of negotiation by Indigenous peoples and governments around the world.
Indigenous figures in Australia played leading roles in these processes.
Development of the declaration involved people such as Uncle Les Malezer, a Gubbi Gubbi and Butchulla man who was the chair of the Indigenous peoples’ caucus, and addressed the United Nations General Assembly when the declaration was adopted.
Yarawu barrister and academic Uncle Michael Dodson helped draft the declaration, and Professor Megan Davis a a Cobble Cobble woman, was part of the UN declaration working group.
The declaration has garnered strong support among Indigenous communities in Australia.
The Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs report (posted in the comments) states applying the declaration could improve access to land rights, help combat racial discrimination, and support Indigenous businesses, social services and cultural organisations.’
Read more in the link in the comments.
The First Nations Clean Energy Network is advocating for policy and legislative systems to be designed that enable and empower First Nations to participate in and benefit from clean energy activities that will impact on First Nationsʼ land, sea, waters, rights, interests and responsibilities.
That includes incorporating principles from the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People into policy and legislation that regulates access to land, waters and the sea for renewable energy projects.
#firstnations #indigenous #aboriginal #torresstraitislander #fpic United Nations #culturalheritage #humanrights #law Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Anthony Albanese Monash University Linda Burney #undrip
Sofía Bengoa
2moIt is all great. But I see this project and other focus on young people, entrepreneurs, etc. This makes the gap between generation increase as youngster speak, do and deal with things their grandparents have problably never seen. How are they going to understand each other? It seems to me the more youngsters learn the more apart they set from their old relatives.