The No-Nonsense guide to Indigenous Peoples’ Communication Rights

The document defines indigenous peoples as descendants of original inhabitants who maintain distinct social, cultural, and political systems, often facing marginalization and poverty. It highlights the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as a critical framework for protecting their rights to languages, education, and media. A central theme is the protection of 'traditional environmental knowledge' and the right of indigenous communities to control their intellectual property and cultural heritage. The guide also discusses the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in overcoming isolation, citing examples like the Kiechwa Satellite Network and the proposed Continental Indigenous Network in Central and South America to enable grassroots broadcasting in local languages.

• There are more than 370 million indigenous people across over 72 countries, characterized by self-identification, historical continuity with pre-colonial societies, and strong links to territories and natural resources.
• The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), adopted on 13 September 2007, affirms rights to revitalize languages, establish indigenous-owned media, and maintain control over cultural heritage and intellectual property.
• Indigenous peoples' 'traditional environmental knowledge' is fundamental to their identity and is viewed as a living practice rather than just information, necessitating legal recognition of their obligations in sharing and applying this knowledge.
• Global issues such as climate change and biofuel production threaten indigenous rights; specifically, mitigation measures like carbon offsets and large-scale hydroelectric dams, as well as monocrop production of oil palm, soya, corn, and sugar cane, are cited as undermining these rights.
• To combat isolation, indigenous peoples are utilizing ICTs and satellite broadcasting, such as the Kiechwa Satellite Network for people in Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, and the proposed Continental Indigenous Network for Central and South America.
• The loss of indigenous languages is described as a severe crisis that removes entire systems of thought, belief, and practice from human knowledge.

APA

Lee, P. (2009). The No-Nonsense guide to Indigenous Peoples’ Communication Rights. World Association for Christian Communication. https://new.waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/09indigenous_peoples.9.pdf

Chicago

Lee, Philip. The No-Nonsense guide to Indigenous Peoples’ Communication Rights. World Association for Christian Communication, 2009. https://new.waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/09indigenous_peoples.9.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lee |first1=Philip |title=The No-Nonsense guide to Indigenous Peoples’ Communication Rights |publisher=World Association for Christian Communication |date=2009 |url=https://new.waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/09indigenous_peoples.9.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lee2009nononsense, author = {Lee, Philip}, title = {{The No-Nonsense guide to Indigenous Peoples’ Communication Rights}}, institution = {World Association for Christian Communication}, year = {2009}, url = {https://new.waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/09indigenous_peoples.9.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }