IAOS-OECD 2018 conference, 19-21 September 2018, Paris. More information at: http://www.oecd.org/iaos2018/

1. Centre for Big Data Research in Health
Statistics, Rights and Recognition – The Identification
of Indigenous Peoples
Kalinda Griffiths (PhD, MPH, BBMSc)
Scientia Fellow, UNSW
Honorary Fellow, University of Sydney
Honorary Fellow, Menzies School of Health Research
Photo of Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory by Cornel
Ozies

2. Background
• Approx. 302.4 million Indigenous peoples around the world
• International commitment to improve the state of affairs for Indigenous peoples
• Not all Indigenous peoples are identified within official statistics reporting in their
countries
• The data collected for the purposes of official reporting on Indigenous peoples is still
inadequate

3. 1994 UN Declaration
on the Rights of
Indigenous peoples
DRAFT
2000 UN Permanent
Forum on Indigenous
Issues
2001 UN Special
Rapporteur on the
Rights of Indigenous
peoples
2007 Expert
Mechanism on the
rights of Indigenous
peoples
2007 UN Declaration
on the
Rights of Indigenous peoples

4. Identification and the UNDRIP
Article 33 of the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous people states:
‘Indigenous peoples have the right to determine their own identity or
membership in accordance with their customs and traditions.’

5. Who are Indigenous peoples?
• No definition in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
peoples
UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues states:
• Self-identification as Indigenous peoples at the individual level and
accepted by the community as a member
• Historical continuity with pre-colonial or pre-settler societies
• Strong link to territories and surrounding natural resources
• Distinct social, economic, or political systems
• Distinct language, culture, and beliefs
• People from non-dominant groups of society
• Resolve to maintain and reproduce their ancestral environments and
systems as distinctive peoples and communities

6. Statistics and Indigenous peoples
Who is counted?
• The operationalization of definitions of Indigenous peoples
• The propensity to identify
How many Indigenous peoples are counted?
• Completeness
• Accuracy
What is counted and measured?
• Existing indicators vs development of indicators

7. Statistics and the UNDRIP
Article 8 of the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous people aims to:
‘provide effective mechanisms for prevention of, and redress for . . .
Any action which has the aim or effect of depriving them of their
integrity as distinct peoples or ethnic identities, or of their cultural
values’.
Further, Article 15 states:
‘Indigenous peoples have the right to the dignity and diversity of their
cultures, traditions, histories and aspirations which shall be
appropriately reflected in education and public information’

8. Statistics, autonomy and human rights
Article 10 of the outcome document of the plenary meeting of the UN
General Assembly of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples
(2014) states:
‘We commit ourselves to working with indigenous peoples to
disaggregate data, as appropriate, or conduct surveys and to utilizing
holistic indicators of indigenous peoples’ well-being to address the
situation and needs of indigenous peoples and individuals, in particular
older persons, women, youth, children and persons with disabilities.’

9. 3.Statistics
2.Recognition
1.Rights
- UN Charter
- UN Declaration on the
Rights of Indigenous peoples
- ILO C169 on Indigenous and
Tribal peoples
- Self-determination
- Colonial context
- Definitions of indigeneity
- Identification question
- Quality
- Measurement

10. Acknowledgements
• Members of the International Group for Indigenous Heath Measurement (IGIHM),
Identification Group
• The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention for funding IGIHM members to be here
• Scientia Fellowship Program, University of New South Wales