On the global observance of Human Rights Day, the Indigenous Commission of the International Federation of Social Workers takes this occasion to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the IFSW policy statement on Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights. This important policy statement was published by IFSW on January 1, 2005, and subsequently approved at the IFSW Executive meeting in Washington, DC, USA, May 2, 2005. It is noteworthy that IFSW took these steps years before the United Nations finalized and passed its Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in September 2007.
Developing the 2005 policy statement
The original statement was drafted by social workers based in the New York City area who were involved with the IFSW UN Commission. They had listened to years of dialogue at the United Nations as representatives of member states discussed and debated draft documents articulating the rights of Indigenous Peoples. The IFSW policy statement was informed by various UN documents including the UN charter (1945), Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), Millennium Development Goals, and various documents related to Indigenous Peoples including early iterations of what would later become the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The IFSW policy statement also incorporated discussions from the 3rd and 4th United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (2004, 2005). Noting the centrality of human rights to the social work profession, the statement draws on IFSW documents to highlight core social work principles. Recognizing that the primary authors of the IFSW policy statement (like the authors of UNDRIP) were allies rather than Indigenous people themselves, the statement was informed by publications written by Indigenous social workers and the authors sought out an Indigenous social worker to review and comment on the draft before moving it forward.
Overview of the 2005 policy statement
The policy statement begins with a section that provides background information on Indigenous Peoples and human rights, noting “as a policy the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) supports the principles of the Draft UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 1994. IFSW derives its mandate for engagement with Indigenous Peoples from the Charter of the United Nations, which states we the Peoples…reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person [and] promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.” These principles were reiterated by world leaders in September 2000 at the United Nations Millennium Summit.
The policy statement notes that UN conventions and the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues affirm an ongoing process of articulating concerns related to Indigenous Peoples within the larger realm of human rights. The IFSW policy quotes from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), noting that Indigenous Peoples are included within the document’s assertion that “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world…. Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people.” The IFSW policy statement asserts that these protections apply to Indigenous Peoples within colonial settler societies that have stripped them of their land and dignity, yet despite the positive intent of this UN doctrine, Indigenous Peoples continue to suffer significant oppression.
The IFSW policy statement elaborates on how social work principles, including the preservation of individual and collective human rights, apply in the context of Indigenous Peoples. The policy’s articulation that rights can be held collectively as well as individually is an important recognition of the collective nature of Indigenous Peoples, a key understanding often lacking in mainstream human rights discourses. Furthermore, the IFSW policy statement emphasizes that social workers must listen to how Indigenous communities articulate their needs and priorities rather than assuming that colonial ideals or contemporary dominant cultural norms are applicable. Indigenous social workers have essential roles to play in developing solutions for Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous social workers must act in solidarity with them.
Indigenous Peoples have been deliberately marginalized by settler states and other interests but also remain empowered actors asserting their interests. The IFSW policy statement affirms that Indigenous Peoples retain the right to continue their distinct traditions, languages, and spiritual practices, as well as their political, economic, social, cultural, and legal systems, while simultaneously having a right to participate in systems within settler states. There must also be opportunities for Indigenous participation and incorporation of Indigenous Knowledges in the creation of social and economic policies, while respecting Indigenous Knowledges as the intellectual and cultural property of Indigenous Peoples. The IFSW policy calls particular attention to the needs of Indigenous women and children.
The 2005 policy can be accessed in its entirety here: https://www.ifsw.org/indigenous-peoples/.
Significance of the policy statement
The IFSW 2005 policy statement on Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights is a significant document and the concerns it identified remain on-going. The document reminds us that we must not wait to challenge unjust systems. Even though we may not yet have detailed, comprehensive solutions, we must act to the best of our abilities. This was exemplified by IFSW issuing its own statement on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the United Nations grappled with years of delays before passing UNDRIP. The IFSW policy offers guidance and calls to action for social workers to intervene in systems and structures. Social workers must listen with empathy to the voices of Indigenous people past and present, whose concerns have often gone unheard. Part of our role can be bringing these voices to the forefront.
Social workers have a mandate to stand up for justice, but how we move forward is important. We must live by our values, acting collaboratively and inclusively. The IFSW policy statement affirms the necessity of engaging with Indigenous social workers. Expanding on this imperative, social workers must understand that Indigenous Peoples are self-determining collectives that vary in structure and protocols, retaining the ability to articulate their own needs and priorities. The social work profession has an unfortunate history of speaking and acting on behalf of others as guardians, inadvertently disempowering those they should be serving. We must recognize and learn from this history so we can chart a different course.
Social workers must support Indigenous self-determination in identifying each community’s needs. Furthermore, engagement with Indigenous communities must be preceded by an invitation from the Indigenous Peoples concerned. Indeed, it is essential to recognize that Indigenous Peoples hold rights as collectives and not simply as individuals. Indigenous Peoples speak on behalf of ourselves.
Social workers are called to stand as allies with Indigenous Peoples. It is noteworthy that many of the challenges that Indigenous Peoples face are rooted in external colonial systems and policies. Non-Indigenous allies have key roles to play in challenging oppressive colonial structures. The 2005 IFSW policy statement is a reminder of the importance of allies in our shared world. Two decades ago, social workers guided by professional values of human rights, justice, and dignity worked within IFSW to develop and advance a policy statement bringing attention of issues of Indigenous Peoples. Years later, IFSW established our Indigenous Commission, and we work to carry forward this legacy.
We are reminded that we each have a responsibility to act for the wellbeing of all in our shared world.