We are over 5000 different indigenous peoples worldwide,
comprising 476 milion individuals in 90 countries.
All indigenous communities are culturally distinct,
but we face many of the same human rights challenges.
Across the globe,
we experience discrimination, marginalization,
and exclusion from political processes and decision making that affect our lives.
Our rights to lands, territories, and natural resources
are often not respected.
This severely impacts our livelihoods, food security, and well-being.
We are also three times more likely than other people
to live in extreme poverty,
making us more vulnerable to the impact of climate change
and to the devastating effects of COVID-19.
It is critical to document and raise awareness
about our human rights situation.
That's why the Indigenous Navigator was created,
to provide a set of tools to monitor the recognition
and implementation of our rights worldwide.
The Indigenous Navigator is developed
by a number of indigenous peoples and human rights organizations.
The online tools and resources help indigenous communities
to collect data on the community and the national situation.
The tools cover essential thematic areas.
These include rights to self determination,
lands, territories, and resources,
as well as health and education.
Monitoring of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
and other human rights and labor instruments
are built into the tools,
and so are all the sustainable development goals
related to indigenous peoples' rights.
Thereby, the Indigenous Navigator can be used to monitor
both the most important human rights instruments
and the sustainable development goals.
The collected data is presented
in comprehensive national and community reports,
and can be visualized, explored,
and compared in our our online portal.
By documenting and reporting our own situations,
we can enhance our access to justice and development,
and help document the situation of indigenous peoples globally.
Indigenous communities can use the data to advocate for their rights
at the local, national, and international level.
It can also help to hold states accountable
by monitoring their compliance with or failure to meet
human rights obligations with regards to indgenous peoples.
Many indigenous communities
have already benefited from the Indigenous Navigator's tools.
One of these is Okani, a community-based,
indigenous organization, located in Cameroon.
Using the tool to collect data at the community level,
Okani was able to record the number of community members
who don't have birth certificates and national identity cards.
Without these documents, they are unable to vote,
apply for jobs or move freely around the country.
This data provided Okani with important advocacy materials,
which helped them to take action.
In this way, the Indigenous Navigator
can support and strengthen the self determined governments
and empower us to claim our rights.
For more information, go online at indigenousnavigator.org