September 5 - International Day of Indigenous Women
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
Press Release from the European Alliance for the Self-Determination of Indigenous Peoples
September 5, 2026, will mark the first observance of the “International Day of Indigenous Women.” Last November, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to ensure that the 185 million indigenous women worldwide receive the appreciation they deserve.
Indigenous women are not only the guardians of their peoples’ culture and traditions, but are also actively involved in their political decision-making. When the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas first sent their delegations to the United Nations in Geneva in 1977 - almost fifty years ago - Indigenous women were represented, but they were scarcely noticed by the public. It was also they who, through decades of work, contributed to the United Nations’ adoption in 2007 of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which many countries have since incorporated into their legal systems - even Canada, whose “Indian Act” explicitly discriminates against Indigenous women.
The United States, which celebrated the 250th anniversary of its independence this year, drew inspiration from the Constitution of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) but overlooked a crucial aspect of their political decision-making process - the equal participation of women, who hold decisive authority under the matrilineal tradition. Very few people in this country know that there are female chiefs, that women own property, and that they continue to resolutely oppose the effects of colonialism, racism, and discrimination to this day.
Pocahontas or Karl May’s fictional “Nscho-tschi” are merely stereotypes born of Western patriarchy, designed to confine Indigenous women to a subordinate role; they have nothing in common with Indigenous reality. When Deb Haaland took office in 2021 as the first Indigenous Secretary of the Interior, it may have come as a surprise to the “Western world” - but for Indigenous peoples, it is common for Indigenous women to hold leadership positions. It is also Indigenous women who are leading the resistance against the disenfranchisement of Indigenous peoples and the destruction of Indigenous lands. Women such as Freda Huson (Chief of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation), Mary and Carrie Dann (Western Shoshone elders), and Sheila Watt-Cloutier (Inuk politician and activist) are just a few of the Indigenous women who have been honored with the Right Livelihood Award for their commitment to Indigenous rights and environmental protection. Indigenous women contribute to the visibility and legacy of Indigenous cultures at all levels of society - from academia, science, education, culture, and sports to music and film.
Above all, they possess resilience, a sense of responsibility, and the strength of their communities. Indigenous women form the backbone of their communities - not only at the national and international levels, but also at the very local level.
The European Alliance for the Self-Determination of Indigenous Peoples, a coalition of seven human rights organizations, works to ensure the recognition and protection of Indigenous women, who to this day face threats ranging from patriarchal structures, discrimination, and violence to femicide. The International Day of Indigenous Women should serve as an opportunity to honor their rightful place.
European Alliance for the Self-Determination of Indigenous PeopleS
Aktionsgruppe Indianer & Menschenrechte (AGIM), Munich, Germany
Arbeitskreis Indianer Nordamerikas (AKIN), Vienna, Austria
Comité de Solidarité International avec les Autochtones des Amériques (CSIA-NITASSINAN), Paris, France
Internationales Komitee für die Indigenen Amerikas (INCOMINDIOS), Zürich, Switzerland
Menschenrechte 3000, Freiburg, Germany
Tokata-LPSG, Seligenstadt, Germany
Verein zur Unterstützung nordamerikanischer Indianer (ASNAI), Berlin, Germany
