Indigenous Data Governance and Sovereignty
Indigenous Data
Indigenous Data refers to the information, knowledge and data related to Indigenous peoples, communities, resources, cultural practices and Country.
This includes data directly collected by Indigenous peoples and data held about Indigenous peoples and communities by external entities such as:
- universities
- libraries
- archives
- museums
- researchers.
Indigenous Data encompasses a wide range of information, including:
- demographic
- environmental
- health
- social
- and cultural data.
It also includes Indigenous knowledges such as oral histories and forms of cultural heritage specific to Indigenous communities.
Indigenous Data Governance
Indigenous Data Governance refers to the framework and processes that enable Indigenous communities to control the collection, access, use and management of data related to communities, resources and Country. It involves the establishment of policies, practices and structures that ensure data is managed in accordance with cultural values, principles and governance systems.
Indigenous Data Sovereignty
Indigenous Data Sovereignty is the inherent right of Indigenous peoples to govern data about Indigenous communities. It emphasises the ownership and control of data ensuring that it is used to benefit Indigenous peoples and support self-determination. Rose, Langton, Smith and Clinch (2020) highlight the importance of distinguishing between governance structures that manage data and the sovereign rights that empower Indigenous communities to assert control over data.
Recognising and implementing both Indigenous Data Governance and Sovereignty is vital for:
- ensuring ethical research practices by involving Indigenous communities in decisions about how data is collected, used and shared (First Nations Information Governance Centre [2016])
- acknowledging Data Sovereignty that supports the self-determination and autonomy of Indigenous communities by affirming the right to manage and benefit from data (Snipp [2016]).