Indigenous Data Sovereignty
Indigenous Data Sovereignty refers to the rights of Indigenous people to exercise ownership over data about Indigenous peoples communities, lands and resources, regardless of where it is held and by whom. The mechanism for enacting this right is Indigenous Data Governance.
The following sections introduces the concept of Indigenous Data Governance and provides resources on important protocols, principles, frameworks and guidelines that have been developed to help researchers and others embed Indigenous data sovereignty and governance into their practices. Further, the guide looks at practices and approaches to Indigenous data management that can be adopted by researchers, ensuring Indigenous data sovereignty and governance is embedded during and beyond a research project.
Indigenous data governance and ethics
Research data pertaining to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and all Indigenous peoples, should be managed, shared and used in accordance with their rights to self-determination, and in ways that are meaningful to them and supports Indigenous self-determination and collective benefit.
Indigenous data are data, information and knowledge that impact Indigenous peoples, Nations and communities at the individual and collective level. This includes data about resources and environments, cultural knowledge, linguistic and health data, and data about individuals and communities.
Source: Indigenous Data Sovereignty - Indigenous Research Guide - Subject Guides at University of Alberta Libraries. Shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence
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- Data on Indigenous resources/ environments including land history, geological information, titles, water information.
- Data about Indigenous demographics or social data - legal, health, education, use of services, including Indigenous created data.
- Data from Indigenous communities including traditional cultural data, archives oral literature, ancestral knowledge, community stories.
Researchers should refer to the UQ Responsible Research Management Framework Policy and embed data management practices in their work that respect Indigenous data sovereignty, knowledge, and world views.
Some useful guidance includes:
CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance
The CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance offer a framework that supports data management activities that are grounded in Indigenous cultural values and supports the use of any data for the benefit of Indigenous peoples. They aim for the ethical and responsible use of knowledge, information and data from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other Indigneous peoples.
Maiam Nayri Wingara Principles (Australian Indigenous Data Sovereignty Principles)
The Maiam Nayri Wingara Principles offer a local Australian perspective on Indigenous research data governance. The principles outline the rights of Indigenous peoples to exercise control and stewardship over data, have data that is contextual, available and accessible; data that is relevant; empowers self-determination and is accountable to Indigenous peoples, and data that is protective and respects individual and collective interests.
AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research
AIATSIS has a research ethics framework and the Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research which guides researchers engaging with and respecting Indigenous values and worldviews, and diversity of knowledge systems when working with Indigenous data.
Source: AITSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research, 2020 - used with permission.
NHMRC Ethical Guidelines for Research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
The NHMRC Ethical Guidelines provides guidance and specific information about ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
International agreements relating to Indigenous peoples' rights to data
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Outlines the rights of Indigenous peoples to self determination, which includes the right to control over their data. It states Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.
Convention on Biological Diversity
Protects Indigenous people’s control over traditional knowledge related to land and biodiversity. It provides for the recognition of Indigenous peoples’ inherent ecological knowledge and promotes the respect, preservation and maintenance of Indigenous peoples’ ecological knowledge and practices to support sustainable biodiversity.
Nagoya Protocol
Supplement to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Nagoya protocol addresses traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources and supports access, benefit sharing and the rights of Indigenous peoples. Under the Nagoya protocol parties ensure consent, fair and equitable benefit sharing and keep in mind customary laws and procedures when working with genetic resources.