International Day of the World’s Indigenous People

International Day of the World’s Indigenous People

Subject: Schemes

Why in News?

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous People is observed on 9 August each year to raise awareness and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population

History of World Tribal Day

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is to be marked annually on August 9, according to a decision made by the UN General Assembly in December 1994. The day was picked in honour of the 1982 Geneva-based Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights inaugural meeting, which served as the inspiration for the date.

World Tribal Day 2023 theme

The theme of World Tribal Day in 2023 is “Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination.”

Significance of World Tribal Day

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples holds immense significance as it serves to spotlight the rich cultural diversity, heritage, and contributions of indigenous communities globally. The day is necessary since indigenous peoples are frequently among the most underprivileged racial and ethnic groupings in society. The UN estimates that although indigenous people make up less than 5% of the global population, they are responsible for 15% of the world’s poorest people.

‘Adivasi’ in India

In India, the term ‘Adivasi’ is used to encompass a diverse range of ethnic and tribal communities that are regarded as the original inhabitants of the country.

These tribal groups make up approximately 8.6% of India’s overall population, which amounts to around 104 million individuals as per the 2011 census.

Although the most substantial tribal communities are concentrated in central India, they constitute merely about 10% of the total population in that region.