The right to health is the most basic of human rights, argues Indigenous Maasai scholar Ben Koissaba, of Kenya, in conclusion to his participation at the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples that took place September 2014 in New York.  “[It’s] fulfillment is both a precondition to, and a by-product of, the enjoyment of all other rights,” he explains.  In a recent publication, Koissaba evaluated progress towards the right to health for Indigenous Peoples of Africa. Around the world, Indigenous Peoples suffer from greater illness and poorer quality of care than other groups.

By Madeline McGill

The Maasai are one of the most well known Indigenous people in Africa. Their colorful dress and unique cultural customs make them a landmark of Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania. With their population estimates numbering well over a million between the two countries, they maintain a sizable cultural identity amidst their ancestral lands.

 By Madeline McGill

Further complications between extraction industries and Indigenous Peoples have been unveiled in a new report published by First Peoples Worldwide. The report, The Indigenous Rights Risk Report: How Violating Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Increases Industry Risks, found that U.S. extractive companies expose shareholders to tangible risks in neglecting the rights of the Nation’s Indigenous Peoples.

By Alex Glomset

The UN Committee Against Torture reviewed Australia on November 11, 2014 during which the treatment of Australia’s Aboriginal population was a larger topic for discussion.

The Australian delegation stated that the government was working towards constitutional recognition of Aborigines people and had allocated 4.8 billion Australian dollars to the Indigenous Advancement Strategy, whose priorities were to get children to school and adults to work.