Indigenous peoples are people, communities, and nations who claim a historical continuity and cultural affinity with pre-invasion and pre-colonial societies which sprung up on their original territories, and therefore consider themselves distinct from societies of the majority cultures that have contested their cultural sovereignty and self-determination. To preserve their basic human rights, has proven to be a challenge in domestic and international law throughout the years. A major step towards international recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights is The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly during its 62nd session at UN Headquarters in New York City on 13 September 2007.
Next to the UN, other major international organizations such as the International Labour Organization have also adopted instruments to guarantee the rights of indigenous and tribal people. In this collection, we focus on the various international human rights tools, dealing with indigenous rights, as well as on the ILO Conventions that were the first legal instruments for the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples. In addition, the United Nations framework is included, varying from general documents to the collection of reports of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous Peoples.
Our collection provides a coherent overview of all the major international instruments, laws, regulations and case law in this area of law, thus offering a valuable legal tool for academic collections.