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Tenth Anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

08 August 2017
Culture and Capability
Orange, red, green and brown figures representing the letter i in L shape bend around the words: International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. On the orange is 9 August.

August 9 is International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples and this year’s theme is devoted to the Tenth Anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

August 9 is the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, marking the day of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, in 1982.

This year’s theme is devoted to the Tenth Anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

A major milestone in the cooperation between Indigenous peoples and UN member states, the declaration is the “most comprehensive international instrument on the rights of Indigenous peoples”.

The declaration “establishes a universal framework of minimum standards for their survival, dignity and well-being”.

Much has been achieved in the last 10 years but there is still a gap between the formal declaration and the implementation of policies which serve the interests of Indigenous peoples.

Find out more

For more information see International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and Tenth Anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples [PDF 485KB].