International human rights law affirms the right to self-determination for all peoples. While Australians collectively exercise this right through democratic governance, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples remain deprived of it. The state continues to exert control over their lives and cultural existence, a legacy of colonization that persists despite the end of segregation and punitive policies.

Since British colonization, Indigenous Peoples have faced racial discrimination and sought recognition as a distinct people with self-determination rights. However, the Australian government has not acknowledged their status or established appropriate democratic institutions for them.

Although self-determination was enshrined in international law in 1945, Indigenous Peoples were only recognized as "peoples" with this right in 2007 through the United Nations (UN) Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration condemns racial discrimination and affirms Indigenous equality. Urgent action is needed to eliminate discrimination and uphold Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' right to self-determination.

This is a special presentation on the occasion of the International Day of the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March).

About the speaker

Dr. Albert K. Barume is the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. With over 25 years of experience, he has taught and published extensively on Indigenous Peoples’ rights. He was among the first lawyers to work on Indigenous Peoples' rights in Africa and served as an Independent Expert at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. He played a key role in supporting African diplomats during the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007).

Albert worked as a Senior Specialist on the rights of Indigenous Peoples at the International Labour Organisation and later served as Chairperson and Member of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) and was appointed UN Special Rapporteur in December 2024.

COVID protocols

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This seminar presentation is in-person only. Registration is not required for in-person attendance as neither the ANU nor ACT Health conduct contact tracing.

If you require accessibility accommodations or a visitor Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan please email regnet.communications@anu.edu.au.

Image credit: Image of Albert K. Barume, used with permission of Hpuji Nawng.