Each year on 9th August world observes ' The International Day of Indigenous People'. The purpose of the day is to promote and protect the rights of the native people around the world. On this day, events, seminars, conferences, and debates are arranged by organisations to "recognise the achievements and contributions that indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental protection."
Indigenous people are a term that is normally used in reference to the natives of a region or a group of people that are considered the original inhabitants of an area. Indigenous people and their communities have an historical relationship with their lands and are generally descendants of the original residents of such lands.
It is estimated that there are more than 370 million indigenous people spread across 90 countries worldwide. Their territories cover about 20 percent of the earth surface. These natives represent more than 4,000 of the nearly 7,000 primitive languages, which are still spoken in the world today. They have special connection with their lands and they are followers of unique and distinct social, cultural, and historical traditions.
Indigenous communities have kept their cultures alive by passing on their culture, skills, knowledge, expertise, arts, rituals and performances from one generation to the next. They preserve their cultural heritage by speaking and teaching their own languages to their brood.
They are keepers of some of the most biologically diverse territories in the world. They are also responsible for a great deal of the world's linguistic and cultural diversity that benefits all of humankind.
BACKGROUND OF THE DAY: The first UN working group on Indigenous population held meeting in Geneva in 1982. On December 23, 1994, the UN General Assembly decided that the International Day of the World's Indigenous People should be observed on August 9 annually during the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People. In 2004, the assembly proclaimed the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (2005-2014). The assembly also decided to continue observing the International Day of Indigenous People annually during the second decade. "The decade's goal was to further strengthen international co-operation for solving problems faced by indigenous peoples in areas such as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment, and social and economic development."
Native population of Pakistan: Indigenous population of Pakistan is the holders of unique languages, culture, heritage, and beliefs. According to an estimate, the population of indigenous people in Pakistan is about 15% of the total population of 126 million. These communities include Pashtun, Sindhis and the Baluchs. Many other smaller groups of indigenous people also exist in Pakistan such as the Kihals and Mors, people of the Indus and Chitral. The tribal fishing peoples, Kihals and Mors, inhabit the middle Indus Basin between two barrages, the Chashma Barrage, and the Taunsa Barrage. They estimate their own population to be between 40,000 and 45,000 families in the 2 barrages. The main source of occupation of the tribal people of the river Indus is fishing.
Other major indigenous Pakistani communities are Kashmiris, Hindkowans, Kalash, Ismailis, Burusho, Brahui, Khowar, Shina and Turwalis. Most of them are inhabitants of Northern areas of Pakistan. According to UNESCO estimates, among the 200 world languages that are at the verge of extinction, 27 are Pakistani languages and the tribal peoples of Giglit-Baltistan, Chitral and neighbouring areas speak most of them.
Facts about indigenous population around the world: United Nations report clearly states that native population suffers from the consequences of historic injustice including colonisation, withdrawal from their lands, territories and resources, repression and discrimination as well as lack of control over their own ways of life. Their right to development has been largely denied by colonial and modern states in the pursuit of economic growth.
Indigenous people and their communities' accounts for 15% of world are poor. For example, in Mexico 80.6% indigenous population is living in poverty. In some countries, the poverty gap between indigenous and non-indigenous populations is a cause of high level of criminal activities. For example, in Thailand, more than 40% of indigenous girls and women who migrate to cities involve in the sex trade. The majority of females trafficked across state borders in south-east Asia are from indigenous communities.
In many countries indigenous population have been repressed and have faced extermination policies. They lack any kind of power about their children education and basic health services. For example, in Guatemala about 53.5 percent of indigenous young people aged 15-19 have not completed primary education, as compared to 32.2 percent of non-indigenous youth.
UN report warns that indigenous people are arguably among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of people in the world today. The international community should recognise that special measures required to safeguard the rights of the world's native communities.
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