Why Official Statistics Should Include Indigenous Peoples
The purpose of this proposed invited paper session, which builds on the work of the International Group for Indigenous Health Measurement, is to describe how and why Indigenous peoples should be included in official statistics. There are about 426 million Indigenous Peoples in over 90 countries worldwide. Indigenous peoples represent about 6 percent of the world’s population and occupy about one-quarter of the land on earth. Despite this, reliable and timely data on Indigenous peoples are hard to obtain in many countries. Although often included in national totals, their characteristics and experience differ so much from their non-Indigenous counterparts, that national statistics can be misleading. Indigenous populations are often too small or too remote within a specific country to perform the kinds of separate program, policy and socio-demographic analyses to adequately address their needs. Furthermore, Indigenous statistics should be disseminated, analyzed and/or interpreted through an Indigenous focus. Papers from three countries with Indigenous populations – Australia, Brazil, and the United States – will be presented. Specific statistical techniques, as well as a more heightened awareness of the invisibility of Indigenous peoples in their own countries will be discussed. The inclusion of Indigenous statistics will strengthen and enhance the accuracy, validity and completeness of official statistics for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples alike.