This Declaration talks about the basic rights that every person has, but with more specific rights included for Indigenous people all over the world.

This Declaration was made because of the trouble Indigenous people all over the world have gone through in the past and are still going through. It is meant to reinforce Indigenous rights, strengthen the relationship between the government and the people and to recognise the duty that comes with this relationship.

There are many rights that have been added to this declaration that are specific to Indigenous people and their history that cannot be found in the Declaration of Basic Human Rights.

Here are a few examples of the rights you will find:

• The right to decide your decide your identity
• The right to be independent as a person and as a nation or people
• The right to have your own culture
• The right to practice your culture
• The right to belong to a community
• The right to not be forced to leave your land or territory
• The right to practice religious and spiritual ceremonies
• The right to pass on any and all knowledge and practices of culture
• The right to have control over your education and schools
• The right to be represented fairly in history and education
• The right to have your own media
• The right to participate in decisions that affect you and your people
• The right to traditional medicine and health practice
• The right to traditional lands and territories
• The right to be repaid for the lands and territories that were taken
• The right to determine your own identity and community membership
• The right to have agreements (treaties) recognized and obeyed

What else do I need to know?

In 2016 the government of Canada publicly supported the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and said that they would implement the rights as outlined in this Declaration. However, there is currently no plan in place to make sure this declaration is followed.