REINFORCING THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS TO HEALTH IN THE WAKE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A PANACEA FOR SUSTAINABLE HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION

Abstract

The rights of indigenous people have over the past three decades become an important issue of international law and policy as a result of movement driven by indigenous peoples, civil society, international mechanisms and States at the domestic, regional and international levels. Indigenous peoples are recognized as being among the world’s most vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalized group of people. This paper analyses the statutory definitions of indigenous peoples, and their rights as provided under the United Nations legal framework and other regional frameworks. It examines the Indigenous Peoples distinctive concepts of health and their vulnerability to Covid-19 Pandemic, their right to health and other human rights issues. However, the paper notes that the United Nations Human Rights System, its mechanism, laws and policies have been at the heart of these developments. It adopts analytical and qualitative approach and builds its argument on existing literatures, which is achieved by a synthesis of ideas. The paper has drawn the conclusion that the rights of indigenous peoples are also increasingly being formally incorporated into domestic legal systems.