Kathmandu, August 9

United Nations agencies have called on countries, including Nepal, to give greater priority to the fulfilment of the rights of indigenous peoples.

In a message issued on the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNESCO’s Asia Pacific regional directors have asked countries to ensure that indigenous people are not left behind in efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

The statement said there were around 370 million indigenous peoples worldwide, living across 90 countries and representing 5,000 diverse cultures.

Indigenous peoples make up less than 5 per cent of humanity, yet represent around 15 per cent of the world’s poorest people while two thirds of the world’s indigenous peoples live in Asia and the Pacific.

They include groups often referred to as tribal people, adivasi, janajati, orang asli, aboriginal or native.

Indigenous people make significant contributions to humanity’s cultural, intellectual and economic wealth and across Asia and the Pacific, they are sharing essential knowledge and skills in conservation and sustainable use of land, forests and natural resources key to achieving the SDGs.

Yet they remain unprotected and unrecognised while many face assimilation, exclusion and systemic discrimination, the statement added.

“The International Day of Indigenous Peoples, celebrated every year on August 9, is an important opportunity for countries to learn about, and commit themselves to the realisation of the rights of indigenous peoples,” it added.