International Day of Indigenous Peoples AI: Defending, Shaping Futures Rights Vs Self-Determination for Food Security and Sovereignty
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Birendra Laishram
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples observed annually on August 9th commemorates the first UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations meeting in 1982, a milestone in recognising Indigenous rights and concerns. This day highlights the continued need for advocacy.
The 2025 theme, “Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures,” explores the intricate relationship between AI and Indigenous communities.
AI and Indigenous Rights: A Deep Dive
Artificial intelligence (AI) holds immense promise for transforming legal support, cultural preservation, and sustainable deve- lopment for Indigenous communities. By leveraging AI technologies, Indigenous groups can address long-standing challenges while safeguarding their rights, traditions, and sovereignty.
AI can streamline legal processes for Indigenous communities by: Drafting Legal Documents: AI systems can assist in creating legal documents that incorporate Indigenous legal traditions and rights, ensuring alignment with cultural values and governance protocols.
Case Law Analysis : AI tools can sift through extensive databases to identify precedents relevant to Indigenous land claims, self- governance agreements, or treaty negotiations.
Human Rights Monitoring: AI can track and report human rights violations, such as discrimina- tion, forced displacement, or environmental harm in remote areas where legal aid is scarce, helping communities seek justice.
AI systems must be designed to respect Indigenous ownership and consent
Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC): Before collecting or using data, AI systems must obtain FPIC from Indigenous communities.
Community-Controlled Infrastructure : Indigenous groups should have the right to establish and operate their data infrastructure, ensuring autonomy over data management.
Ethical Data Usage : AI tools should adhere to cultural norms and protocols, allowing communities to access, correct, and control their data.
AI tools can bolster advocacy efforts and influence policy by:
Visualizing Land Claims: Mapping tools powered by AI can illustrate historical land use patterns and territorial boundaries, strengthening Indigenous claims.
Environmental Monitoring: AI can analyze satellite imagery to track deforestation, pollution, and other environmental threats to Indigenous territories, providing actionable evi-dence for policy change.
While AI offers transformative potential, it also poses risks that must be addressed:
Bias and Misrepresentation: AI systems trained on non-diverse datasets may perpetuate stereotypes or exclude Indigenous perspectives. Ensuring datasets include Indigenous knowledge is vital for accurate outputs.
Digital Colonialism: Unauthorized use of Indigenous cultural heritage, such as sacred imagery or oral traditions, risks exploitation. Ethical guidelines and legal frameworks are needed to prevent such misuse.
AI can play a pivotal role in preserving and revitalizing Indigenous cultures:
Endangered Languages: AI-powered tools can document, transcribe, and teach Indigenous languages, aiding in their revitalization and use across generations.
Virtual Museums: AI can create 3D models of artifacts, reconstruct damaged objects, and offer immersive experiences, making Indigenous cultural heritage accessible globally.
Restoration and Conservation: AI algorithms can predict artifact degradation, reconstruct manu- scripts, and identify environmental threats to cultural sites, supporting preservation efforts.
To ensure AI initiatives align with Indigenous values:
Co-Design and Collaboration : Indigenous communities must co-design AI projects, ensuring cultural sensitivity, informed consent, and active participation throughout development and implemen- tation.
Multilingualism and Equity: Promoting Indigenous languages in AI systems and ensuring accessibility for all Indigenous groups are essential for equitable outcomes.
Ethical Guidelines : International bodies like UNESCO advocate for ethical AI standards that prioritize Indigenous rights, cultural integrity, and self-determination.
AI can foster innovation and inclusion within In-digenous communities by:
Education and Up-Skilling : AI literacy programs can empower Indigenous youth with the skills to understand, use, and develop AI technologies, enabling them to shape solutions for their communities.
Climate Stewardship : AI can integrate Indigenous ecological knowledge into biodiversity monitoring and resource management, enhancing conservation strategies.
Digital Infrastructure: Community-governed, renewable-powered data centers can support Indigenous-led AI initiatives while creating economic opportunities.
To ensure equitable access to AI benefits:
Bridging Access Gaps: Investments in internet access, electricity, and legal frameworks are crucial for enabling Indigenous communities to engage with AI technologies.
Mitigating Algorithmic Bias: AI systems must be trained on inclusive datasets that reflect Indigenous realities, ensuring ethical and culturally sensitive applications.
By addressing risks, upholding ethical standards, and fostering collaboration, AI can serve as a transformative tool for Indigenous communities, enabling them to preserve their heritage, advocate for their rights, and shape sustainable futures.
Manipur and Northeast India: A Regional Perspective
Imphal's 2025 Indigenous Forum, emphasised self-determination for Manipur and Northeast India Indigenous communities in digital spaces, including data control and AI policy participation. AI's potential to advance food sovereignty, cultural resilience, and youth activism was recognised, with calls for inclusive governance and ethical tech grounded in Indigenous values.
Expanding the Indigenous Forum celebration in Manipur beyond the United Nations' chosen theme of "Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures" to encompass "Indigenous Peoples' Right to Self-Determination: A Pathway for Food Security and Sovereignty" represents a strategic and crucial decision. This expansion serves to anchor global discussions within the immediate and pressing realities experienced by Indigenous communities on the ground. While the UN's focus is centred on the implications of artificial intelligence and the safeguarding of digital rights for Indigenous populations worldwide, the Indigenous communities of Manipur are simultaneously grappling with a complex web of challenges. These include the on-going threat of displacement from their ancestral lands, pervasive food insecurity that undermines their well-being, and persistent political marginalisation that silences their voices, all of which have been further intensified by May-2023 outbreak of violence in the region.
Emphasising self-determination and food sovereignty highlights the crucial need for secure land rights, access to forest resources, and the revita- lisation of traditional agriculture that has sustained Indigenous communities for generations. This underscores the interdependence of cultural survival and thriving Indigenous food systems. Furthermore, it ensures that AI technologies complement, rather than replace, Indigenous ecological knowledge rooted in centuries of experience.
In a region facing a "polycrisis" of social, economic, and environmental challenges, this thematic expansion empowers Indigenous agency, asserting their right to shape their own futures through material well-being and political empowerment.
The forum, with delegates from all eight North Eastern Indian States, promises inclusive dialogue, bridging the perspectives of tech-savvy youth with the wisdom of elders connected to the land and its traditions.
By framing food security and sovereignty as a direct pathway to realising self-determination, the expanded theme aligns seamlessly with established international frameworks such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation's (FAO) Indigenous Food Systems Initiative. This alignment positions the Indigenous Forum as a vital platform for advocating for rights-based development approaches that prioritise the needs and aspirations of Indigenous communities. Ultimately, this expanded thematic focus represents a significant shift from a singular emphasis on digital rights to a more holistic consideration of self-determination and survival, thereby enhancing the forum's relevance to the specific context of Manipur and strengthening the collective advocacy for greater autonomy, enduring unity, and rights-based governance that respects the dignity and rights of all Indigenous peoples.
Participants: Delegates from all eight North Eastern States, the Titular King of Tripura (Chief Guest), MLAs from Assam, Tripura, and Manipur, and representatives from civil society and cultural groups. The event featured folk songs, traditional dances, and cultural performances, with a public appeal to avoid disruptions.
STDCM Observance : A parallel event by the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) focused on "The Future of Indigenous Meitei/Meetei Tribe of Manipur," advocating for ST recognition under Indian and international frameworks.
The 2025 celebration will serve as a pivotal event to determine the host Nation for World Indigenous Day 2026, reinforcing its significance as a global platform for policy dialogue, cultural unity, and advocacy for Indigenous rights. This event also highlighted the ongoing global resistance of Indigenous communities against extractive industries and the challenges posed by digital colonisation, emphasising their fight for sovereignty and self-determination. UNESCO conti- nues to underscore the indispensable contributions of Indigenous Peoples to bio-diversity conservation, safe- guarding endangered languages, and enhancing climate ressilence.
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples observed annually on August 9th commemorates the first UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations meeting in 1982, a milestone in recognising Indigenous rights and concerns. This day highlights the continued need for advocacy.
The 2025 theme, “Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures,” explores the intricate relationship between AI and Indigenous communities.
AI and Indigenous Rights: A Deep Dive
Artificial intelligence (AI) holds immense promise for transforming legal support, cultural preservation, and sustainable deve- lopment for Indigenous communities. By leveraging AI technologies, Indigenous groups can address long-standing challenges while safeguarding their rights, traditions, and sovereignty.
AI can streamline legal processes for Indigenous communities by: Drafting Legal Documents: AI systems can assist in creating legal documents that incorporate Indigenous legal traditions and rights, ensuring alignment with cultural values and governance protocols.
Case Law Analysis : AI tools can sift through extensive databases to identify precedents relevant to Indigenous land claims, self- governance agreements, or treaty negotiations.
Human Rights Monitoring: AI can track and report human rights violations, such as discrimina- tion, forced displacement, or environmental harm in remote areas where legal aid is scarce, helping communities seek justice.
AI systems must be designed to respect Indigenous ownership and consent
Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC): Before collecting or using data, AI systems must obtain FPIC from Indigenous communities.
Community-Controlled Infrastructure : Indigenous groups should have the right to establish and operate their data infrastructure, ensuring autonomy over data management.
Ethical Data Usage : AI tools should adhere to cultural norms and protocols, allowing communities to access, correct, and control their data.
AI tools can bolster advocacy efforts and influence policy by:
Visualizing Land Claims: Mapping tools powered by AI can illustrate historical land use patterns and territorial boundaries, strengthening Indigenous claims.
Environmental Monitoring: AI can analyze satellite imagery to track deforestation, pollution, and other environmental threats to Indigenous territories, providing actionable evi-dence for policy change.
While AI offers transformative potential, it also poses risks that must be addressed:
Bias and Misrepresentation: AI systems trained on non-diverse datasets may perpetuate stereotypes or exclude Indigenous perspectives. Ensuring datasets include Indigenous knowledge is vital for accurate outputs.
Digital Colonialism: Unauthorized use of Indigenous cultural heritage, such as sacred imagery or oral traditions, risks exploitation. Ethical guidelines and legal frameworks are needed to prevent such misuse.
AI can play a pivotal role in preserving and revitalizing Indigenous cultures:
Endangered Languages: AI-powered tools can document, transcribe, and teach Indigenous languages, aiding in their revitalization and use across generations.
Virtual Museums: AI can create 3D models of artifacts, reconstruct damaged objects, and offer immersive experiences, making Indigenous cultural heritage accessible globally.
Restoration and Conservation: AI algorithms can predict artifact degradation, reconstruct manu- scripts, and identify environmental threats to cultural sites, supporting preservation efforts.
To ensure AI initiatives align with Indigenous values:
Co-Design and Collaboration : Indigenous communities must co-design AI projects, ensuring cultural sensitivity, informed consent, and active participation throughout development and implemen- tation.
Multilingualism and Equity: Promoting Indigenous languages in AI systems and ensuring accessibility for all Indigenous groups are essential for equitable outcomes.
Ethical Guidelines : International bodies like UNESCO advocate for ethical AI standards that prioritize Indigenous rights, cultural integrity, and self-determination.
AI can foster innovation and inclusion within In-digenous communities by:
Education and Up-Skilling : AI literacy programs can empower Indigenous youth with the skills to understand, use, and develop AI technologies, enabling them to shape solutions for their communities.
Climate Stewardship : AI can integrate Indigenous ecological knowledge into biodiversity monitoring and resource management, enhancing conservation strategies.
Digital Infrastructure: Community-governed, renewable-powered data centers can support Indigenous-led AI initiatives while creating economic opportunities.
To ensure equitable access to AI benefits:
Bridging Access Gaps: Investments in internet access, electricity, and legal frameworks are crucial for enabling Indigenous communities to engage with AI technologies.
Mitigating Algorithmic Bias: AI systems must be trained on inclusive datasets that reflect Indigenous realities, ensuring ethical and culturally sensitive applications.
By addressing risks, upholding ethical standards, and fostering collaboration, AI can serve as a transformative tool for Indigenous communities, enabling them to preserve their heritage, advocate for their rights, and shape sustainable futures.
Manipur and Northeast India: A Regional Perspective
Imphal's 2025 Indigenous Forum, emphasised self-determination for Manipur and Northeast India Indigenous communities in digital spaces, including data control and AI policy participation. AI's potential to advance food sovereignty, cultural resilience, and youth activism was recognised, with calls for inclusive governance and ethical tech grounded in Indigenous values.
Expanding the Indigenous Forum celebration in Manipur beyond the United Nations' chosen theme of "Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures" to encompass "Indigenous Peoples' Right to Self-Determination: A Pathway for Food Security and Sovereignty" represents a strategic and crucial decision. This expansion serves to anchor global discussions within the immediate and pressing realities experienced by Indigenous communities on the ground. While the UN's focus is centred on the implications of artificial intelligence and the safeguarding of digital rights for Indigenous populations worldwide, the Indigenous communities of Manipur are simultaneously grappling with a complex web of challenges. These include the on-going threat of displacement from their ancestral lands, pervasive food insecurity that undermines their well-being, and persistent political marginalisation that silences their voices, all of which have been further intensified by May-2023 outbreak of violence in the region.
Emphasising self-determination and food sovereignty highlights the crucial need for secure land rights, access to forest resources, and the revita- lisation of traditional agriculture that has sustained Indigenous communities for generations. This underscores the interdependence of cultural survival and thriving Indigenous food systems. Furthermore, it ensures that AI technologies complement, rather than replace, Indigenous ecological knowledge rooted in centuries of experience.
In a region facing a "polycrisis" of social, economic, and environmental challenges, this thematic expansion empowers Indigenous agency, asserting their right to shape their own futures through material well-being and political empowerment.
The forum, with delegates from all eight North Eastern Indian States, promises inclusive dialogue, bridging the perspectives of tech-savvy youth with the wisdom of elders connected to the land and its traditions.
By framing food security and sovereignty as a direct pathway to realising self-determination, the expanded theme aligns seamlessly with established international frameworks such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation's (FAO) Indigenous Food Systems Initiative. This alignment positions the Indigenous Forum as a vital platform for advocating for rights-based development approaches that prioritise the needs and aspirations of Indigenous communities. Ultimately, this expanded thematic focus represents a significant shift from a singular emphasis on digital rights to a more holistic consideration of self-determination and survival, thereby enhancing the forum's relevance to the specific context of Manipur and strengthening the collective advocacy for greater autonomy, enduring unity, and rights-based governance that respects the dignity and rights of all Indigenous peoples.
Participants: Delegates from all eight North Eastern States, the Titular King of Tripura (Chief Guest), MLAs from Assam, Tripura, and Manipur, and representatives from civil society and cultural groups. The event featured folk songs, traditional dances, and cultural performances, with a public appeal to avoid disruptions.
STDCM Observance : A parallel event by the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) focused on "The Future of Indigenous Meitei/Meetei Tribe of Manipur," advocating for ST recognition under Indian and international frameworks.
The 2025 celebration will serve as a pivotal event to determine the host Nation for World Indigenous Day 2026, reinforcing its significance as a global platform for policy dialogue, cultural unity, and advocacy for Indigenous rights. This event also highlighted the ongoing global resistance of Indigenous communities against extractive industries and the challenges posed by digital colonisation, emphasising their fight for sovereignty and self-determination. UNESCO conti- nues to underscore the indispensable contributions of Indigenous Peoples to bio-diversity conservation, safe- guarding endangered languages, and enhancing climate ressilence.