KATHMANDU: The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is being observed across the globe today to raise awareness about the rights, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous communities.
The United Nations estimates that around 476 million Indigenous people live in 90 countries, representing less than 6 percent of the world’s population. However, they account for at least 15 percent of the global population living in poverty.
According to the UN, Indigenous communities speak most of the world’s approximately 7,000 languages and embody nearly 5,000 distinct cultures. They are recognized for preserving rich traditions and maintaining unique relationships with their communities and the natural environment.
Despite their cultural diversity, Indigenous Peoples share many common challenges, including the protection of their identities, traditions, ancestral lands, territories, and natural resources.
For many years, Indigenous communities have sought recognition of their collective rights and ways of life. These rights have frequently been ignored or denied, leaving many Indigenous groups among the most marginalized and vulnerable populations worldwide.
The international community has increasingly acknowledged the need for targeted measures to safeguard Indigenous rights and support the preservation of their cultures and traditional lifestyles.
The day is observed every year on August 9 and commemorates the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations, which was held in Geneva in 1982.
