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What is UNDRIP?

UNDRIP is the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The UN General Assembly adopted it on 13 September 2007. It sets out the minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of indigenous peoples, including rights to self-determination, land, culture, language and consent.

The declaration took more than twenty years to negotiate, with indigenous representatives taking part directly. It was adopted with 144 countries in favour, 4 against and 11 abstaining. The four that voted against, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, have all since endorsed it.

It has 46 articles. Key rights include self-determination, the right to lands and resources traditionally owned or used, the right to keep and teach languages and customs, and protection from forced assimilation and forced removal. The rights belong to peoples as groups, as well as to individuals.

Several articles require states to obtain free, prior and informed consent before adopting measures or approving projects that affect indigenous peoples. This means communities must be asked early, told the full facts, and allowed to decide without pressure through their own institutions.

A declaration is not a treaty and is not directly binding. It is still influential: courts cite it, development banks refer to it, and some countries have adopted laws to apply it, such as Canada's federal act of 2021 and an earlier law in Bolivia.

Words used here

UNDRIPSelf-determinationFree, prior and informed consentLand rightsILO Convention 169UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Sources

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