International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples - A Wake-Up Call for Global Leaders
Carolina Batista MD
Driving Global Health Equity & Access: Bridging Data, Communities, and Partnerships for Positive Impact | With a Heart in the Amazon Forest 🌳
Today, the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is a day to recognize and honor the diversity, culture, and wisdom of more than 476 million indigenous people living in 90 countries across the world. As a global health advocate, as a daughter of an Amazon mother, I would like to take this opportunity to share reflect on some of the challenges and opportunities that indigenous peoples face in achieving health equity and justice.
My mother taught me since an early age on the importance of indigenous knowledge and their ecosystem. She instilled respect and appreciation for nature, culture, and humanity in me. She and my father inspired me to fight for social justice and to recognize indigenous people as the true guardians of knowledge and our planet. I didn't grow up thinking that I'd become a doctor but I knew I would end up working with communities and supporting the most vulnerable thrive in life and achieving their potential.
After the years I spent in various parts of my mother’s native land working with indigenous and traditional communities, I have learned so much. I witnessed their resilience, courage, and hope in the face of adversity. I also saw their struggles, pain, and despair when they denied their rights, dignity, and voice.
Indigenous peoples have been disproportionately affected by multiple recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and conflicts for land.
They are not alone. They have allies, supporters, and friends who stand with them and fight their causes. They have organizations, networks, and grassroots movements that work with them to advocate for their voice and vision. They have partners who work with and learn from them. They have us.
As policymakers and global health leaders, we have a role and responsibility to address the gaps and barriers that indigenous peoples face in accessing quality health care and social protection. We need to listen to their needs, respect their choices, and include them in the design and implementation of culturally appropriate and responsive solutions. We must protect their rights to land, which is essential for their health, livelihoods, and identity. We must support their efforts to preserve their culture, language, and traditions, which are sources of strength and resilience.
We must acknowledge the impact of deforestation on indigenous peoples’ health and well-being. The Amazon rainforest is home to more than 400 indigenous groups, each of which has its own history and heritage. The forest is also a vital carbon store that slows the pace of global warming. However, the last years have been tough as deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has reached its highest level in over 15 years and is driven by illegal logging, mining, agriculture, and fires. This not only destroys the biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by the forest but also exposes indigenous peoples to violence, displacement, disease, and death.
However, there is some hope of this. Recent data show that deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen by 66% in the last month compared to July 2022, thanks to increased law enforcement, pressure from civil society and political leadership. This shows that it is possible to reverse the trend of environmental degradation and protect forests and their inhabitants. However, we need more action and commitment from all stakeholders, especially the governments and leaders.
As Winnie Byanyima , the Executive Director of UNAIDS, said: “Inequalities are a policy choice. They are choices our governments make.” We need policies that promote equality, justice, and human rights for all people, especially indigenous people, who have been historically oppressed and excluded. Policies that protect the environment, mitigate climate change, and ensure a healthy planet for present and future generations are needed. We collectively call on governments to intensify their efforts to overcome the huge inequalities affecting indigenous people. There is also a need to recognize traditional medicine and integrate intercultural approaches into health systems are among the priorities.
Today, on this special day, I want to express my gratitude and admiration for all the indigenous peoples I have met and worked with in my life. You have taught me much about values, health, nature, the planet, and humanity. You have inspired me to be a better person, leader, better ally, and better citizen of the world. You have shown me the true meanings of solidarity, courage, and hope.
Obrigada. Gracias. Thank you. Merci
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