Proposal Description

The underlying issue of how to measure and identify who is Indigenous is central to the collection and interpretation of Indigenous statistics. This session is integral to the work of the recently created Special Interest Group on Indigenous Statistics. There are various ways to determine who is Indigenous, such as residing on Indigenous lands, speaking an Indigenous language, self-report and/or administrative records. Some countries do not identify their Indigenous population at all. Panelists will discuss issues in identifying their Indigenous populations, including changing measures, working in remote areas, language challenges, demographically impossible increases (particularly when it becomes safer to identify as Indigenous) and how these issues relate to official statistics. Panelists will draw on their experiences in Tanzania, Australia and Mexico, as well as an overarching perspective from the United Nations. The panel discussion will provide insights into how official statistics can better recognize, include and portray Indigenous Peoples.