There are an estimated 370 million indigenous people in the world, living across 90 countries. They make up less than 5 per cent of the world’s population, but account for 15 per cent of the poorest. They speak an overwhelming majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 different cultures.
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is observed on August 9 each year to promote and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population. It was proclaimed on 23 December 1994 by the United Nations General Assembly. The date marks the day of the first meeting, in 1982, of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.
This year’s theme of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is devoted to the right to education.
“We will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals if we fail to address the educational needs of indigenous peoples.”
– Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon