A/HRC/60/66 17. In addition to international instruments, normative frameworks such as the Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics (CARE) Principles for Indigenous Data Governance have emerged as critical standards guiding the ethical collection, use and governance of data relating to Indigenous Peoples. Developed by the Global Indigenous Data Alliance, the CARE Principles complement existing human rights obligations by centring Indigenous Peoples’ values, rights and decision-making in data practices.8 III. Challenges and opportunities in accessing and controlling data 18. Data are a cultural, strategic and economic resource for Indigenous Peoples.9 Robust data are important for designing targeted measures to improve socioeconomic conditions for Indigenous Peoples, with a focus on health, housing and other issues. 10 The international community increasingly recognizes the importance of data-driven decision-making, and Indigenous Peoples find themselves at a crossroads between historical marginalization in data systems and emerging opportunities for data sovereignty. 19. Due to obstructions related to availability, relevance and cost, historically, Indigenous Peoples have had limited access to their data, even in traditional research data sets, national censuses, surveys and so forth. 11 Indigenous Peoples are often excluded from research funding streams, which may be due to eligibility criteria, institutional affiliation requirements, and approval systems based on Western cultural values and biased in favour of non-Indigenous research teams. This funding barrier reinforces the dependence on external organizations that continue to profit from Indigenous knowledge and research.12 Indigenous Peoples remain largely excluded from the collection, use and application of data about them, their lands and their cultures. Existing data and data infrastructure fail to recognize Indigenous knowledge and world views and do not meet Indigenous Peoples’ current and future data needs.13 A. Challenges 20. The lack of legal recognition of Indigenous Peoples as distinct peoples with collective rights is challenging. States continue to deny the existence and rights of Indigenous Peoples by not reflecting the actual demographic situation and specific needs and priorities of Indigenous Peoples in national development plans and censuses.14 21. Variations in the definitions of Indigenous Peoples and the lack of respect for self-identification can complicate data collection and disaggregation. The failure to include questions on Indigenous identity and the lack of respect for the right of self-identification in all relevant data-collection exercises result in the inability to accurately capture identity and socioeconomic conditions. 22. Many States fail to disaggregate data by ethnicity or Indigenous status due to privacy concerns, definitional issues and fears of data misuse. 15 Financial, technological and intellectual investments by States in data-collection infrastructure, methodologies, and human capacity are insufficient for robust and quality data disaggregation and use. Specific 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 4 Chris Andersen and others, Indigenous Statistics: From Data Deficits to Data Sovereignty, 2nd ed. (New York, Routledge, 2025). Presentations by Gam Awungshi Shimray and Wilson Kipsang Kipkazi, expert seminar, December 2024. Submission from the Canadian Human Rights Commission. See also the submission from the Soyuz Union of Indigenous Peoples and Salvation of Yugra (in Russian). Submission from IT for Change. Submission from the Independent First Nations Alliance. A/73/438, para. 72. Presentation by Robie Halip, expert seminar, December 2024. Submission from the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) Caucus on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights. GE.25-12012