The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, also known as World Tribal Day, is observed on August 9 each year to raise awareness and protect the rights of the world's indigenous population. This event also recognises the achievements and contributions that indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental protection.
The day aims to promote and protect the rights of indigenous peoples, who have often been marginalised and whose cultures have faced threats of erosion and assimilation.
This International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2024 is focusing on 'Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact'.
According to the United Nations, around 200 groups of Indigenous Peoples currently live in voluntary isolation and initial contact. They reside in remote forests rich in natural resources in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, and Venezuela. They choose to live detached from the rest of the world, and their mobility pattern allows them to engage in gathering and hunting, thereby preserving their cultures and languages. These people have a strict dependency on their ecological environment. Any changes to their natural habitat can harm both the survival of individual members and the group as a whole.
Did You Know?
- Indigenous peoples make up less than 6% of the world's population but represent at least 15% of the extremely poor.
- They are the guardians of 28% of the Earth's surface, which includes 11% of the world's forests.
- Indigenous territories are home to most of the world's remaining biodiversity.
- Their food systems are incredibly self-sufficient, producing 50-80% of their own food and resources.
