International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2025

This content aligns with Goals 3, 10, and 4 by emphasizing the importance of genomics education for healthcare professionals to provide quality patient care through genomic testing; discussing the disparities in genomics education across different regions, underscoring the need to bridge these gaps and provide equitable access to genomic knowledge and resources; and highlights the need for standardizing and improving the quality of genomics education globally, which aligns with the goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education.

This content aligns with Goals 2, 11, and 15 by examining the role of traditional agriculture in periurban areas and its contribution to local food security; providing insights for sustainable urban development; and supporting sustainable land management.

This content aligns with Goals 10 and 12 by offering a methodology and framework that provides a way forward in resilient water management and planning which incorporates Indigenous knowledge, values and perspectives.

This content aligns with Goals 3, 10, and 16 by discussing how UNESCO’s current work on a ‘Declaration on the Ethics of Neurotechnology’ represents a suitable opportunity to make indigenous interests and positions visible through amendments to individual texts of international law.

This content aligns with Goals 15, 16, and 10 by discussing how UGGps actively involve local and indigenous peoples, preserving and celebrating their culture; emphasizing the bottom-up approach of UGGps, which involves active participation of local and indigenous communities; and showing how preservation of indigenous cultures, traditional knowledge, and practices within UGGps promotes cultural diversity and inclusion.

This content aligns with Goals 15, 17, and 10 by highlighting the role of indigenous knowledge in sustainable development, particularly in areas like land and resource management, disaster risk reduction, and animal husbandry; emphasizing the need to integrate indigenous and scientific knowledge systems to address challenges like climate change and biodiversity conservation; and discussing the challenges faced by indigenous peoples and the importance of recognizing their rights and traditional practices.

Gellman et al. find that in the adoption of an industrialized diet and lifestyle, beneficial Prevotella copri from the Hadza microbiota requires plant-derived microbiota-accessible carbohydrates to persist in the gut microbiota.

The authors highlight how the Indigenous view of health has always understood the interconnects among people, animals and the environment, which is the foundation of what is now a western concept called “One Health”. They call for Indigenous understandings of the connection to be embedded into One Health approaches. They propose that future studies utilise local Indigenous seasonal calendars, which are often based on environmental cues, to help understand the seasonal effects of zoonoses.

The authors contend that future research conducted by, with and for Indigenous peoples, particularly in addressing the cultural determinants of health within education, may contribute to a clearer representation of the cultural determinants of health in the literature.

The authors point out that Mātauranga Māori/Māori knowledge emphasises that pain and its healing should be considered multidimensional, incorporating physical, mental and relational components, existing in the spiritual realm and incorporating links between people, places, the past and future. They suggest that pain services incorporate this knowledge of the spiritual, social and psychological aspects of pain and pain management to provide more meaningful care for people with pain.

This pilot study examined the psycho-physical demands experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women during several Traditional Indigenous Games and recommends culturally relevant interventions to improve physical activity levels and health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

Sudden cardiac death is more common and coronary heart disease and rheumatic heart disease are the most common causes in First Nations Australians in the Northern Territory of Australia under the age of 40 years. The authors contend that there is a need for First Nation Australians specific local guidelines for a comprehensive pre-participation Heart-Health assessment.

This article explores the experiences of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander midwives and midwifery students in Australia.

This study evaluates Child Aid’s innovative teacher training program in rural Guatemalan indigenous schools, which combines workshops, instructional coaching, and provision of children’s literature to enhance reading comprehension and critical thinking.

This study evaluated the impact of an updated curriculum on literacy and numeracy development among indigenous Kazakh- and Russian-speaking children in Kazakhstan through a quasi-experimental pilot involving 1,717 students.

This study investigates how critical literacy teaching enables Grade 6 indigenous students in rural Taiwan to critically analyze EFL textbooks.

This study examines Professional Learning Conversations (PLCs) as a strategy within the Culturally Nourishing Schooling (CNS) reform aimed at improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

This study demonstrates that a community-based primary care approach, involving local stakeholders in diagnosis, planning, and implementation, can effectively identify health needs and foster community ownership, especially in vulnerable populations during health crises like COVID-19. Such participatory strategies, aligned with Bolivia’s SAFCI health model, can improve health outcomes, address social determinants, and enhance system resilience for future emergencies.

Genomics provides useful information for human health and potentially population-based treatments. Here Corpas et al, call for increased diversity in genomic sampling, especially to fill in missing populations, so all may share in the benefits of genomic-based precision health.

Review evidence on the burden of chronic respiratory diseases in Indigenous peoples globally, summarise factors that underlie health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, propose a framework of approaches to improve the respiratory health of Indigenous peoples, and outline future directions for clinical care and research

This study highlights the vital role of traditional Adivasi healers in providing oral health care within marginalized communities in Gudalur, India, where formal dental services are limited. It emphasizes that integrating indigenous healing practices with Western biomedicine can improve oral health outcomes and calls for inclusive health systems that respect cultural and structural determinants.

This paper examines the persistent health and socioeconomic disparities experienced by Indigenous and Pacific Islander populations in the U.S. and New Zealand, highlighting how structural racism underpins these inequities despite differing healthcare systems. By situating Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Māori within their shared cultural and historical contexts, the study underscores the need to address systemic racialized barriers to improve health outcomes for these minoritized groups.

This study explored the life stressors and coping strategies of Indigenous women living in Toronto through sharing circles and interviews, revealing their varied experiences of control over socio-economic challenges, identity, and social environments. The findings highlight the complex ways these women manage stress and offer valuable insights for service providers, policy-makers, and researchers to better support their wellbeing.

This study investigated the links between oil and gas well proximity and indoor air volatile organic compounds among pregnant Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants in Northeastern British Columbia.

This paper evaluates the validity of the NeuroScreen, a tablet-based neurocognitive assessment tool, in measuring neurocognition among first-episode psychosis patients in Uganda, a low-resource setting. 12

Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that affects some racial and ethnic groups, like Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, and American Indian/Alaska Native communities, more often and differently than others. Improving care for these groups means understanding cultural differences, building trust, and making sure they have access to the latest treatments and support.

This study evaluates eight National One Health Strategic Plans using a mixed analytical approach, revealing varying degrees of alignment with core One Health principles and highlighting strengths and gaps to inform future initiatives. The framework combines qualitative, quantitative, and network analyses to assess content, terminology, and conceptual relationships within the plans.

This backstory highlights the importance of interdisciplinary and participatory approaches in advancing the One Health concept, using lessons from an international workshop in Lao PDR to address existing knowledge gaps and improve global health security strategies.

This Backstory highlights how justice issues in sustainability often remain overlooked or are addressed by social scientists, and advocates for a more inclusive, interdisciplinary approach that incorporates diverse perspectives to better integrate justice considerations into sustainability research and foster equitable, holistic solutions.

This study investigates the role of diurnal and nocturnal pollinators N. rustica's reproductive success, informing management decisions around this culturally significant plant species.

The article highlights the importance of tailoring interventions to local cultural contexts and engaging with indigenous communities to ensure the feasibility and sustainability of Echinococcus control efforts.

This research aims to identify opportunities for the tourism industry to effectively address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in ways that respect Indigenous priorities and support development aspirations of Indigenous peoples.

Indigenous compared with non-Indigenous patients with acute coronary syndrome have higher cardiovascular risk profiles and mortality risk. The impact of efforts to bridge historical care gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients remains limited.

Indigenous women tend to have higher rates of cardiovascular disease and stroke. This article reports a literature review conducted to answer the question: How do indigenous women who are at risk of and/or living with cardiovascular disease and stroke perceive their heart health and well-being?

The article dicusses the need for early, culturally grounded interventions to support healthy beverage habits among Navajo and other Indigenous children. While early childhood education programs are generally promoting healthy choices, most children remain at risk due to inadequate hydration and high sugar-sweetened beverage intake, compounded by ongoing challenges in water accessibility and safety. Strengthening access to safe drinking water and leveraging Indigenous cultural traditions can serve as protective factors, supporting better health outcomes and reducing disparities in diet-related diseases for American Indian children. Future efforts should focus on community engagement and culturally responsive strategies to sustain healthy habits.

The article underscores the vital role of traditional country foods in supporting the health of Nunavik Inuit, as these foods are primary sources of important antioxidants like ergothioneine and selenoneine. The markedly higher levels of these compounds among Nunavimmiut�especially among women, elders, and frequent country food consumers�demonstrate the nutritional and cultural significance of maintaining access to wild foods. The findings advocate for the protection and promotion of traditional food systems to preserve both health benefits and Indigenous food sovereignty, while also calling for further research into the health impacts of these unique dietary antioxidants in Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations alike.

The article concludes that while federal food assistance programs have the potential to improve health equity for Indigenous peoples, their effectiveness is hampered by accessibility barriers and lack of cultural relevance, particularly in non-tribally administered programs. The scant research available highlights unmet needs, especially for urban Indigenous communities and under-studied programs. Addressing these gaps is essential for fulfilling federal trust responsibilities and advancing health equity. The authors call for more targeted research and policy action to support Indigenous self-determination and ensure food assistance programs are both accessible and culturally appropriate.

The study demonstrates that successful nutrition education in Indigenous communities requires more than simply adapting Western models; it necessitates genuine partnership, flexibility, and a willingness to honor Indigenous values, ways of knowing, and definitions of success. Federal programs like SNAP-Ed must shift toward community-driven evaluation and support, building trust through sustained relationships and co-creation. Elevating Indigenous voices in policymaking and program design will foster more effective, culturally relevant, and healing approaches to food and nutrition in Indigenous communities

Indigenous Peoples steward many of the world�s least-exploited natural areas, but nearly 60% of these lands face industrial development threats, especially where territorial rights and political representation are weak. Strengthening Indigenous rights, leadership, and access to conservation resources is key to reducing conversion risk and supporting socio-ecological resilience.

In rural Malawi, the use of on-farm trees for food�rather than just for fuel or income�is strongly associated with improved micronutrient adequacy (vitamin A, zinc, iron, and folate) in women�s diets across seasons. This suggests that food-producing trees play a key role in supporting nutrition in low- and middle-income countries.

The expansion of bioeconomy strategies focused on growth and technology in the Brazilian Amazon risks reinforcing colonial and exploitative patterns. To ensure environmental justice, development must shift toward community-centered, post-growth forest futures.

This perspective highlights the challenges and opportunities of implementing people-centered multi-hazard early warning systems in the Global South, emphasizing the need for localized, inclusive approaches that address vulnerability and the complex interrelationships of hazards, to bridge the gap between global ambitions and operational realities.

The article discusses India's National Tuberculosis Elimination Program and its efforts to combat TB, which disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including tribal communities and people living in poverty and remote rural areas.

With limited data available from Central Africa, the aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-SARS-CoV-2 Ab prevalence in indigenous residents of Bomassa, a village located in the Sangha region in the Republic of Congo.
The findings suggest SARS-CoV-2 has spread widely in this rural community, highlighting the need for strengthened COVID-19 prevention measures.

The study highlights the importance of understanding malaria epidemiology in the indigenous population, as few studies have focused on this group in Roraima. More research is needed to inform malaria control and prevention efforts to meet its scheduled erradication by 2035.

The review explores the role of gut microbiota in high-altitude adaptation, highlighting how microbial alterations impact host physiology and metabolism under hypoxic conditions and discussing potential strategies for enhancing acclimatization through microbiota modulation.

The genetic admixture and cultural exchanges of Central Asian peoples are examined through population genomics, revealing complex interactions and contributions from various ancestral sources over time. The need for more comprehensive genomic resources in the region to advance precision medicine and fill gaps in current databases is also emphasized.

This article describes the development and pilot testing of a mobile health-delivered storytelling intervention to increase cervical cancer screening among Malawian women living with HIV. The intervention was found to be feasible, acceptable, and more effective than printed materials alone in encouraging women to undergo screening.

This study explored the importance of inclusive, cross-cultural research on sexual victimization, highlighting how marginalized groups, including indigenous and gender-diverse populations, are often underrepresented and at higher risk of abuse. It demonstrates that validated, culturally sensitive measures like the SAHQ can improve understanding and support targeted interventions for these vulnerable communities worldwide.

This paper examined the factors affecting the willingness of African-American and American Indian/Alaska Native communities engage in genetic and biomarker research for Alzheimer's disease, finding that these underrepresented minority groups expressed less positive attitudes toward research and were less willing to participate in preclinical Alzheimer's biomarker testing compared to non-Hispanic white participants.