Empowering Voices: Advocating for indigenous people with disabilities worldwide

Ahead of the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on indigenous people with disabilities to the UN Human Rights Council, we submitted a key document which discusses the challenges faced by indigenous people with disabilities, emphasizing economic disparity, poverty, violence, discrimination, political participation, healthcare access, care assistance and the impact of climate change.

We collaborated with partners like Indigenous Persons with Disabilities Global Network (IPWDGN), Endorois Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (EIWEN), National Indigenous Disabled Women Association (NIDWAN) and others to submit this to the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Focused on case studies from Kenya, Brazil, Nepal and Bangladesh, aligned with our partners in those regions and previous research, this submission advocates for and with our partners, shedding light on their communities’ experiences. The aim is to assist the Special Rapporteur in crafting their September 2024 annual report to the UN Human Rights Council. This submission is crucial, exposing the shortcomings of states and majority communities in supporting Indigenous peoples, particularly those with disabilities. It is our hope that it influences stakeholders to address the rights of Indigenous people with disabilities effectively.