Today the world celebrates Indigenous People’s Day, a time to honor the 370 million people in more than 70 countries who identify themselves as Indigenous. In 2015, this day will focus on access to healthcare, which remains a major challenge for indigenous communities.
“On this International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, I call on the international community to ensure that they are not left behind. To create a better, more equitable future, let us commit to do more to improve the health and well-being of indigenous peoples,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement.
Indigenous Peoples account for 5% of the world’s population. However, traditional indigenous lands and territories contain around 80% of Earth’s biodiversity, making indigenous peoples critical to the protection and conesrvation of the world’s natural resources that are critical to our survival.
To learn more please visit http://www.un.org/en/events/indigenousday/
