FNIGC, along with members of the Global Indigenous Data Alliance (GIDA), is pleased to share the latest communique titled: CARE Directs Us Home: Prioritizing Indigenous Peoples’ Community Standards.
Reflecting on the six years of the CARE Principles (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics) for Indigenous Data Governance, this joint communiqué from GIDA members emphasizes that standards are more than technical tools.
GIDA calls on institutions, researchers, and standards bodies to uphold and prioritize the standards set by Indigenous Peoples and communities when working with Indigenous data. Honouring Indigenous community standards plays a key role in advancing Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) and Indigenous Data Governance (IDGov). These standards are rooted in the specific knowledge systems, rights, and cultural frameworks of each community. By following locally developed principles and protocols, data practices and the technologies that enable them are more likely to reflect Indigenous values, protect inherent rights, and contribute to self-determined futures.
This communique aims to:
- Support local Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) and Indigenous Data Governance (IDGov) initiatives
- Underscore broader CARE application as a minimum standard for all Indigenous data
- Reiterate CARE’s original purpose, in response to the FAIR principles, of guiding open data projects involving Indigenous data to uphold Indigenous Peoples’ rights and interests
These actions reinforce that Indigenous Peoples have long called for implementation of their local, regional, and nation-state IDSov definitions and frameworks, with principles such as OCAP® (Ownership, Control, Access, Possession) predating and informing the creation of the CARE Principles.
As the document states, “There is no justice in Indigenous data without Indigenous standards.” The communique highlights the importance of respecting Indigenous Peoples’ inherent rights to define, protect, and govern their own data. GIDA urges the global data community to prioritize locally designed IDSov and IDGov models, principles, and guidelines and take meaningful steps in recognizing these standards as legitimate and authoritative.
The documents list Indigenous governance resources from each of the network countries, as well as references written in the communique.
To read or download a PDF copy of the communique, please click here.
To learn more about the CARE Principles and Indigenous Data Governance, visit GIDA’s website https://www.gida-global.org/.