Experts Hail Australia’s Backing Of UN Declaration Of Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
New York, Apr 3 2009 10:10AM Three United Nations experts today welcomed Australia’s endorsement of the United Nations
landmark declaration outlining the rights of the world’s estimated 370 million indigenous people and outlawing
discrimination against them.
Australia, along with Canada, New Zealand and the United States, originally voted against the Declaration on the Rights
of Indigenous Peoples when it was adopted by the General Assembly in September 2007, a move that followed more than two
decades of debate.
A non-binding text, the Declaration sets out the individual and collective rights of indigenous peoples, as well as
their rights to culture, identity, language, employment, health, education and other issues.
The Declaration emphasizes the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures
and traditions and to pursue their development in keeping with their own needs and aspirations.
It also prohibits discrimination against indigenous peoples and promotes their full and effective participation in all
matters that concern them, and their right to remain distinct and to pursue their own visions of economic and social
development.
“The rights recognized in the Declaration constitute the minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of
the indigenous peoples of the world,” according to a statement issued by James Anaya, the Special Rapporteur on the
human rights situation and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people; John Henriksen, the Chairperson-Rapportueur of the
UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and Victoria Tauli-Corupz, Chairperson of the UN Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues.
Australia’s endorsement of the Declaration is of “crucial importance” since it strengthens the global consensus on the
rights of indigenous peoples, the experts noted.
They also called on Member States to implement the agreement at both national and regional levels, in consultation with
indigenous peoples.
ENDS