Sunil Vaid
International day of the world’s Indigenous people is observed on August 9 each year to protect and promote the rights of the world’s indigenous population. The day is celebrated to spread awareness about the indigenous population around the world and protecting their rights and appreciating their contributions for making the world to a better place to live in.
The indigenous population across the world stays in close contact with nature. The places they reside in are 80% of the World’s Biodiversity. The day also recognizes the contributions made by them to protect the world’s environment. In India, the indigenous population is also known as the scheduled tribes. This day offers a prime opportunity to actively work towards safeguarding the fundamental rights of tribal communities’ worldwide.
As per UN Data it is estimated that indigenous people make up less than 5% of the global population, they are responsible for 15% of world’s poorest people. The United Nations passed a resolution on December 23, 1994, to celebrate August 9′ as the day of Indigenous people. The day marked the first meeting in 1982 of the UN working group on indigenous population. The UN General Assembly also declared 1995-2004, as the International Decade of Worlds Indigenous people.
The indigenous people are guardians of Mother Earth. We all are part of planet Earth, and it’s time we all stand together and be the backbone for the people who are warriors and working to build a better ecosystem. On this day, let’s all spread the message of hope, kindness, compassion and provide a space for the native spirit to thrive, prosper and grow. There is a tight knit community of 456 Million Indigenous people living worldwide. They voluntarily live in isolation in the remote forests of Brazil, India, Indonesia, Columbia, Peru, Ecuador etc. They have chosen to detach from the world and live in a forest to protect their culture of being sync with nature. Nature is lifeline of the Indigenous people. Every year, the world Indigenous day is celebrated on 9th August to raise awareness about the people, culture and their importance of the world. The theme of the Indigenous day in 2024 is “Indigenous Youth” as agents of change for self-determination. It is one of the most important days for the Indigenous people in the world. This day is to promote the rights, traditions and celebrations of the community. The symbol of World Indigenous day 2024 is 2 stars of green leaves facing each other and holding a globe-like planet earth.
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous people holds immense significant as it serves to spot light the rich culture diversity, heritage and contributions of Indigenous population globally. The day is necessary since Indigenous people are frequently among the most underprivileged racial and ethnic groupings in society. In India, the term ‘Adivasi’/ST is used to encompass a diverse range of ethnic and tribal communities that are regarded as the original inhabitants of the country. These tribal groups make up approximately 8.6% of India’s overall population, which amounts to around 104 million individuals as per 2011 census. Although the most substantial tribal communities are concentrated in Central India, they constitute merely about 10% of the total population in the region. There are, however, many more ethnic groups that would qualify for ST status but which are not officially recognized and consequently, the populations of the scheduled tribes are higher than the official figure.
The largest concentrations of indigenous people in India are found in the seven states of North-east India, and so called ‘Central Tribal Belt’ stretching from Rajasthan to West Bengal. India has several laws and constitutional provisions such as the fifth schedule for Central India and sixth schedule for certain areas of North East, which recognize Indigenous peoples right to land and self governance. The laws aimed at protecting Indigenous people have numerous short comings and their implementation is far from satisfactory.Of all the Indigenous people in India, since 75 groups are identified as particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) by the Govt. of India, effectively on the verge of extinction. The total population of PVTGs as per 2011 census was 1,702, 545 spread across 18 states and Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar.
On 15 November, Prime Minister NarenderModi launched the Rs. 240,000 million Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyeyamala Abhyan (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.
The 2024 World Indigenous day is an opportunity to learn about tribal communities and stand in solidarity with these native communities globally. Following are some ways to spread awareness and uplift these communities.
*Educate ourselves: Learn Indigenous cultures through reliable sources such as libraries, educational, social media channels etc.
*Support Indigenous Businesses: Purchase products from Indigenous – owned enterprises in sectors like food, beauty and jewellery. This will boost their economic welfare.
*Contribute to Indigenous Organizations: Donate money, time, or skills to Indigenous organizations that help in uplifting the tribal communities by working on ground.
Let us use this year’s World Indigenous day to foster deeper sensitivity towards preserving endangered native identities, validating overlooked native histories and safe guarding Indigenous rights. Show our gratitude to the Indigenous people respectfully and research their culture and Heritage.
Our compassionate actions today can contribute to building more just and equitable societies. They deserve better life and on this day, we should be grateful for having such communities dedicating their lives to nature.