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New research from Education International shows a substantial increase in the number of education unions recognising and engaging with Indigenous People’s issues over the past 10 years. Significant challenges remain, preventing Indigenous students and educators from seeing their rights fulfilled in many parts of the world. The role of education unions in addressing these challenges was high on the agenda at Education International’s 10th World Congress in Buenos Aires.

More education unions promoting the rights of Indigenous Peoples

The new edition of Education International’s Quadrennial Survey on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Education reveals a rise in education unions’ recognition of and engagement with the issues affecting Indigenous Peoples.

Aiming to map the work of Education International (EI) member organisations in promoting the rights of Indigenous Peoples in education, the survey collected data from 69 education unions from 55 countries across the world. The 2024 edition of the survey received responses from 15 additional unions compared to the survey conducted in 2014, suggesting a growing union mobilisation for Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

More than half of the participating unions believe that the issues facing Indigenous Peoples are relevant to their work. However, half of the unions responding to the EI survey indicate that they work in contexts where Indigenous Peoples are not formally recognised by their governments. Additionally, 40% say there are no mechanisms (e.g. census) in place to count Indigenous Peoples in their own jurisdictions. These results highlight the need for governments to not only recognise their Indigenous populations, but also preserve and strengthen Indigenous languages and knowledge systems. Interestingly, the report suggests that “when organisations indicated that Indigenous people were not counted in their jurisdiction, these were often the same organisations that indicated that Indigenous issues more broadly were not particularly relevant in their contexts”.

More than a third of education unions responding to the survey actively engage in advocacy activities on a wide range of topics such as cultural safety in the workplace, retention of specialist Indigenous language teachers, cultural allowances for teachers leading cultural practices, or training for non-Indigenous school leaders, among others.

Overall, while the report indicates growing awareness of and respect for Indigenous Peoples among education unions, ongoing challenges such as political instability, budget constraints, and legal discrepancies stand in the way of the full realisation of Indigenous Peoples’ rights in education.

World Congress focus on enhancing union work on Indigenous Peoples’ rights

The role of education unions in promoting the rights of Indigenous Peoples was highlighted during the 10th Education International World Congress taking place in Argentina from 26 July to 2 August.

On 27 July, over 200 Indigenous unionists and allies came together for the Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus.

EI’s Indigenous People’s Caucus “is older than the adoption of the Coolangatta Statement, the creation of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and the signing of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Caucus provides a space for teachers, union leaders, and activists, to strengthen our collective network and knowledge at the global level”, noted Raymond Basilio, EI Executive Board member and Secretary-General of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers – the Philippines, welcoming participants to this important event.

Basilio highlighted the work done over the past five years in support of Indigenous Peoples’ rights. EI’s Teach for the Planet campaign which calls for quality climate education for all, was developed, implemented, and evaluated in collaboration with education unions and Indigenous peoples.

The EI Latin America regional office and EI member organisations in the region launched a new Manifesto on Public Education and Indigenous Peoples, prepared by more than 150 educators representing Indigenous Peoples. At EI Asia Pacific’s regional conference, the Indigenous Peoples Caucus proposed a resolution “on Promoting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Land, Language, and Culture” which the Conference adopted. In 2022, EI sent a delegation of over 70 education unionists to the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference in Education (WIPCE), the largest and most diverse Indigenous education forum in the world.

Furthermore, EI has commissioned research exploring the work of education trade unions in decolonising education. The research that will include recommendations to unions on planning and implementing key actions to decolonise education, will be launched later this year.

Recognising the progress made over the last five years, Caucus participants discussed the findings of EI’s Quadrennial Survey on Indigenous Peoples’ rights in Education, shared their experiences, reflected on the challenges education unions face in representing Indigenous People’s voices, and formulated strategies to improve the work of unions on this essential issue.