Reseachers called on to uphold Indigenous rights

July 14, 2023

(Photo: Luis Levil, a Huilliche-Chilote fisher, and PhD student Jaime Ojeda, are practicing reciprocity in southern Patagonia, Chile: feeding hake offal to seabirds, and having the student help - and learn about - fishing as part of a research project about the hake fishery. Credit: Katrina Pyne)

In a new paper published today in Science, lead author, UVic School of Environmental Studies, PhD candidate, Lawrence Ignace and co-author, conservation scientist, Natalie Ban call on researchers to uphold Indigenous rights and futures. They argue that researchers—at universities, government institutions, consultancies, and elsewhere—have a responsibility to understand and advance the rights laid out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

We all have a role in understanding the implications of UNDRIP, explains Ignace, as these are meant to bring equality to some of the most vulnerable sectors of society.

"UNDRIP has the keys to unlocking a better future for Indigenous peoples around the world--we all need to contribute and learn from one another to make these futures a reality,” adds Ignace.

They reviewed the articles of UNDRIP to identify those relevant to researchers. Four themes emerged: self-determination; free, prior, and informed consent; intellectual property; engagement and learning. Ban explains how the articles provide a starting point for researchers to engage with and become allies in upholding Indigenous rights, in a way that supports Indigenous self-determination and sovereignty now and into the future.

“Too often research continues to bring harm to Indigenous peoples and their territories. We are glad that Science is highlighting the important role that researches play in upholding Indigenous rights,” says Ban.

“We, and everyone in the research community, have an opportunity and responsibility to work more closely with Indigenous peoples to create a more equitable and sustainable future based on the rights and concepts within UNDRIP, and beyond,” adds Ban.

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Contact: Lawrence Ignace, email lawrenceignace@uvic.ca (lead author)