August 9 is the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Worldwide, there are about 370 million Indigenous Peoples and ethnic minorities living in more than 90 countries worldwide. No matter where we live or who we are, we should all care about Indigenous Peoples. Why? First, Indigenous Peoples and ethnic minorities are more likely to be poor.

Although Indigenous Peoples make up only 5% of the global population, they account for about 15% of the world’s extreme poor. They are overrepresented. And if you’re from an indigenous family in Latin America, then you’re three times more likely to be in poverty than someone from a non-indigenous family in the same region. Second, while there have been advances, Indigenous Peoples and ethnic minorities continue to face exclusion and marginalization, and lack equal access to basic services. Indigenous women are less likely to use healthcare facilities for childbirth... — blog.wb.org/blogs