Abstract

Indigenous peoples influenced the development of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).1 But, without meaningful domestic implementation, this instrument remains a distant aspiration for Indigenous communities. The arduous process of building the global Indigenous movement resulted in its adoption and secured a place for Indigenous peoples as recognized actors influencing international human rights law. With the creation of an international instrument that unequivocally affirms Indigenous peoples’ individual and collective rights, attention now turns to the lagging domestic diffusion of these standards. The gap between UNDRIP’s lofty promises and the lived realities of Indigenous peoples underscores the need for sustained and strategic advocacy to ensure the full implementation of these rights. Building upon Keck and Sikkink’s perspectives on transnational advocacy networks,2 this article modifies and adapts the framework within the context of Indigenous advocacy and introduces the concept of transnational Indigenous advocacy networks (TIANs). It takes the conversation further by conceptualizing and analyzing Indigenous advocacy collaborations that operate across borders to bridge the gap between the rights affirmed in UNDRIP and their domestic realization.

Keywords: Indigenous peoples, transnational Indigenous advocacy networks, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, UNDRIP