On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, 9 August, the ITUC demanded the right of self-determination for Indigenous peoples worldwide. An International Labour Organization report has uncovered the many areas in which Indigenous workers face disadvantage and discrimination.
ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle stated: “This day is an important reminder of the rich cultural diversity, historical contributions, and ongoing struggles faced by Indigenous communities. Indigenous peoples face systemic discrimination, marginalisation, and violations of their rights. Issues such as the exploitation of natural resources on Indigenous lands without consent and encroachment onto their territories require immediate attention.”
The International Labour Organization (ILO) report found that:
- More than 86 per cent of Indigenous peoples globally work in the informal economy, compared to 66 per cent for their non-Indigenous counterparts.
- Indigenous peoples are nearly three times more likely to be living in extreme poverty compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts.
- The share of wage and salaried workers is considerably lower among the Indigenous (27.9 per cent) than among the non-Indigenous (49.1 per cent) population.
- Globally, Indigenous peoples are earning 18.5 per cent less than non-Indigenous people.
Workers’ unions are enhancing the representation of Indigenous peoples in their organisations and building alliances with Indigenous peoples’ organisations to address mutual concerns, including compliance with ILO C169. In Australia, for example, Unions are working to ensure strong union representation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers, empowering them to achieve just wages, social protection and self-determined, fulfilling employment.
Read more: International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples: Unions demand the right to self-determination - International Trade Union Confederation (ituc-csi.org) and ILO Report Implementing the ILO Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention No. 169: Towards an inclusive, sustainable and just future | International Labour Organization