I read that in 2007, the United Nations Assembly adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. British Columbia became the first jurisdiction in the world to pass legislation incorporating UNDRIP as law. The Act provides a clear vision of the human rights of Indigenous peoples and has 46 Articles in total. “It’s about Indigenous Canadians receiving the same basic human rights as everybody else in Canada.” The purpose of the Act is to mandate the Government to work with Indigenous peoples to create an action plan to achieve its objectives, making sure that the federal laws are consistent with the Declaration, and to prepare progress reports annually.

DRIPA focuses on the action plan created for 2022-2027. It includes 89 Actions to advance reconciliation and uphold the indigenous rights. The purpose of the action plan is to support the implementation of modern treaties and enhance the relationship with Indigenous Nations.

It is important to read these documents because they shed light on Indigenous injustices and affirm their rights. They help us understand the impacts of colonization and understand the ways to promote active contributions to reconciliation and inclusive environments.

 From these documents, I learned that Indigenous Peoples have the right to make decisions that affect their lives. They have the right to be free from discrimination. I also learned that governments have a responsibility to engage and collaboratively work with Indigenous communities to support essential areas such as language revitalization, education, and health services. It is crucial to implement these initiatives  to bring equality  and healing from the historical injustice and trauma caused by colonization. I also discovered that Indigenous peoples have the right and authority to maintain and strengthen their cultural practices and institutions. To turn this into reality, a genuine partnership and collaboration with indigenous communities is required.

To apply this knowledge in the classroom, we should incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing and build a strong relationship with the community.

Question:

Do the school districts provide resources to implement these principles in the classroom, and do they have any specific plan to track the progress of work done to achieve reconciliation?

References: UNDRIP FAQ - NCTR

Fact sheet – United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act

DRIPS_en.pdf

UNDRIP in Practice: The Evolution of UNDRIP in Canadian Law | Boughton Law

Why a UN declaration on Indigenous rights has struggled to become Canadian law - National | Globalnews.ca

declaration_act_action_plan.pdf