The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples takes place annually on 9 August to celebrate Indigenous Peoples and their knowledge. The Day highlights the rights of Indigenous Peoples to make their own decisions and carry them out in ways that are meaningful and culturally appropriate to them.
The day was first commemorated by the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) in 1994, with August 9 marking the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in 1982.
The day serves as a reminder to preserve and celebrate the rich culture, heritage, traditions, languages, and wisdom that Indigenous people bring to the world. As well it is an opportunity to foster solidarity among Indigenous people and raise awareness for the violations of Indigenous rights.
Theme: Protecting the rights of indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation and initial contact
This year the day focuses on ‘Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact.’ Indigenous Peoples in voluntary isolation and initial contact are the best protectors of the forest.
Who are indigenous peoples?
Indigenous Peoples are distinct social and cultural groups that share collective ancestral ties to the lands and natural resources where they live, occupy or from which they have been displaced. The land and natural resources on which they depend are inextricably linked to their identities, cultures, livelihoods, as well as their physical and spiritual well-being. They often subscribe to their customary leaders and organizations for representation that are distinct or separate from those of the mainstream society or culture.
Indigenous peoples have rich and ancient cultures and view their social, economic, environmental and spiritual systems as interdependent. They make valuable contributions to the world’s heritage thanks to their traditional knowledge and their understanding of ecosystem management.
Indigenous peoples around the world
There are over 476 million indigenous people living in 90 countries across the world, accounting for 6.2 per cent of the global population. Of those, there are more than 5,000 distinct groups. (UN Report)
Indigenous people speak an overwhelming majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages. They are nearly three times as likely to be living in extreme poverty compared to their non-indigenous counterparts.
Indigenous peoples in India: 2024
In India, some 705 ethnic groups are listed as Scheduled Tribes. In central India, the Scheduled Tribes are usually referred to as Adivasis, which literally means original inhabitants, Indigenous Peoples. With an estimated population of 104 million, they comprise 8.6% of the total population. There are, however, many more ethnic groups that would qualify for Scheduled Tribe status but which are not officially recognised and consequently, the total populations of the Scheduled Tribes are higher than the official figure.
The largest concentrations of Indigenous Peoples are found in the seven states of north-east India, and the so-called “central tribal belt” stretching from Rajasthan to West Bengal.
Rights of tribal and indigenous persons in India
India has several laws and constitutional provisions, such as the Fifth Schedule for central India and the Sixth Schedule for certain areas of north-east India, which recognise Indigenous Peoples’ rights to land and self-governance. The laws aimed at protecting Indigenous Peoples have numerous shortcomings and their implementation is far from satisfactory.
The Government of India has increasingly been using the term “Indigenous Populations” in official notifications such as the establishment of a High-Level Committee to look into the “social, economic, cultural and linguistic issues of the indigenous population in the State of Tripura or in its justification for the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019. The State government of Jharkhand declared the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, celebrated on 9 August every year worldwide, a state holiday.
The Government of India passed the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023.The Act empowers the central government to divert land without forest clearance from certain categories of forest lands. It provides exemptions from the mandatory requirement of forest clearance for security-related linear projects within 100 kilometres of international borders or up to 10 hectares for construction of defence-related projects or camps for paramilitary forces or public utility projects in Left-Wing Extremism-affected areas. The Act also allows for land acquisition for development, eco-tourism, mining and security projects
On 15 November 2023, Central government launched the Rs 240,000 million Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) scheme for the PVTGs of India to provide a number of facilities including housing, drinking water, sanitation, access to education, health, nutrition, roads, telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Situation of indigenous women
The individual and collective rights of Indigenous women and girls are regularly denied or violated in private and public spaces. Sexual violence, trafficking, killing or being branded a witch, militarization or State violence, and the impact of development-induced displacement remain major issues faced by women and girls.
In its latest report “Crime in India 2022”, published on 3 December 2023, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) recorded a total of 1,347 cases of rape against Indigenous women and girls in 2022.The sexual assaults were perpetrated by both civilians and security forces/government officials.
Partnership with indigenous peoples
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/India’s Partnerships for Health supports tribal communities across India by demonstrating customized health care for different tribal communities, in consultation with them to improve reproductive, maternal and child health, and tuberculosis (TB) care. USAID programs working with tribal communities include:
Breaking the Barriers (Karnataka Health Promotion Trust-KHPT): Creating customized models of patient centered TB care in tribal communities to bridge gaps in care.
Reaching the Last Mile Toward TB Elimination: Accountability Leadership by Local Communities for Inclusive, Enabling Services (REACH):-Helping transform TB survivors from tribal communities into ‘TB Champions’ who support others affected by TB and advocate for the community at local and national forums.
TB Health Action Learning Initiative (World Health Partners): Facilitating innovative models of patient-centered TB care, diagnosis, and reporting, with a focus on high-risk populations, including tribal communities in Jharkhand. Empowering Women with Disabilities (Shanta Memorial Rehabilitation Center-SMRC): Supporting women with disabilities in tribal communities to build livelihoods, access social entitlements, and live independently in communities that are sensitive to their needs.
Sambhuya (SAATHII): Strengthening access to quality reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent (RMNCH+A) health and TB care for tea garden workers, who are predominantly from tribal communities in upper Assam.
Nishtha: Transforming Comprehensive Healthcare in India (JHPIEGO): Facilitating the provision of comprehensive primary health care by strengthening facilities and training personnel to meet the needs of tribal communities.
Vriddhi-Scaling Up RMNCH+A Interventions (IPE Global): Scaling up interventions in reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health in tribal communities, including home-based care for young children in remote locations.
Engaging Private Sector Providers of Products and Services for Improved RMNCH+A Health Outcomes (WISH Foundation): Operationalizing primary health facilities in tribal districts by offering management, human resources, and digital solutions tailored for resource-constrained environments.
