Introduction
Aboriginal communities are an important part of Australian and Torres Strait Island society. This paper is aimed to research the principles that underline responsible attitudes towards the aboriginal communities and to analyze the real impact of different institutions and organizations on their lives. This research is based on providing background information concerning the given organization working with aboriginal communities and highlighting ethics and protocols in assessing indigenous knowledge. Besides, it provides a critical analysis of how aboriginal issues are addressed, including relevant laws, guidelines, and protocols protecting human, intellectual, and cultural property when working in the indigenous context.
First of all, to understand to what extent the organizations have an impact on aboriginal communities, it is important to define modern aboriginal communities and their needs. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Handbook defines the aboriginal people as the “Indigenous peoples of Australia” (2010, p.2). It is important both to maintain the identity of aboriginal people and protect their rights as well. For example, according to the AIATSIS Code, there are four principles that underline Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research. These principles are the following: 1. Indigenous self-determination; 2. Indigenous leadership; 3. Impact and value; 4. Sustainability and accountability (2020, p. 9). These core principles can be applied to any activity aimed at increasing the quality of life of indigenous people. In this paper, a range of organizations and their protocols aimed at protecting the rights of indigenous people will be analyzed.
According to the level, the organizations addressing the aboriginal issues can be divided into three groups. The first group includes local organizations, the second one includes national ones, and the third one contains international organizations. Among the local organizations, there are Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation; Northern Land Council; Central Land Council; Garma Festival of Traditional Cultures; Kimberley Land Council; Torres Strait Regional Authority; North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd (NAILSMA). National organizations include the National Congress of Australia’s First Nations Peoples; National Indigenous Research and Knowledges Networks (NIRAKN); Assembly of First Nations; Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS); Poche Indigenous Health Network; Lowitja Institute International; and Indigenous Peoples’ Council on Biocolonialism (IPCB). Among international organizations dealing with aboriginal issues, there are the International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropic Forests, Centre for World Indigenous Studies (CWIS), and Indigenous Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA). Thus, the list of organizations dealing with issues of aboriginal people is rather wide.
National Level Organizations
The list of national organizations addressing different aboriginal issues is quite long. It shows that their activity is very active, considering the fact that the human rights approach has developed relatively recently (Briskman, 2009). The list includes such organizations as The Lowitja Institute, focusing on the health of indigenous people, and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, which is the world’s premier institution in the sphere of aboriginal issues. At the national level, the organizations demonstrate a high level of efficiency, as they are both well aware of aboriginal issues and have more resources compared to the local ones.
The Lowitja Institute was founded in 2010 and is successfully functioning today. The organization was named after its Patron, Dr. Lowitja O’Donoghue (Lowitja, 2021). The Lowitja Institute has 12 member organizations and 22 participant organizations. These organizations are AIDA (Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association), AIATSIS (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies), Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, CATSINaM, Flinders University, Danila Dilba, Healing Foundation, Indigenous Allied Health Australia, Menzies, The University of Melbourne, Natsihwa, and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. The analysis of each organization can help to create the whole picture of the work of the Lowitja Institute.
The organizations entering Lowitja Institute have different goals, following five key priorities listed in the Lowitja Institute Strategic Plan for 2019-2023. The first of these priorities is investing in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community through health research (Lowita Institute Strategic Plan, 2019, p. 1). The second priority of the Lowitja Institute is mobilizing research knowledge for effective translation. It means translating research into “health policy and practice” (Lowita Institute Strategic Plan, 2019, p. 1). The second priority is enhancing the capability of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research workforce. This priority underlines the enhancement of the capability to involve aboriginal people in health research. The fourth priority is promoting the role and impact of the Lowitja Institute in involving aboriginal people in initiatives. The fifth initiative is creating a sustainable future for the Lowitja Institute.
AIDA (Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association) can serve as an example of a member organization that follows these objectives. This is the national body that represents the indigenous doctors and medical students who live in Australia and Torres Strait Islands. The organization is aimed at preserving aboriginal cultural values and improving the health of the aboriginal community. AIDA is represented in over 45 communities. (AIDA, 2021). It also organizes conferences for doctors and medical students and releases publications on health topics.
Another national organization protecting aboriginal rights is AIATSIS. AIATSIS (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies) was found in 1964. It collects information on aboriginal communities, publishes ethnical and social researches, and handles culturally sensitive material. Besides, AIATSIS provides legal protection for indigenous people. For example, it concerns such issues as copyright protection, authorship rights, and the protection of sacred and ritual knowledge. (AIATSIS, 2009). AIATSIS Code of Ethics establishes the principles that should be followed during ethnic research. They are the principle of indigenous “leadership, self-determination, impact and sustainability,” defined by the AIATSIS Code (2020, p. 9). These principles can be applied not only by the AIATSIS organization but by other organizations dealing with aboriginal issues as well.
The principles of indigenous leadership, impact and value, sustainability and accountability, and indigenous self-determination have a range of subprinciples that are supposed to work in synergy. For example, indigenous self-determination includes recognition and respect, informed consent, cultural learning, and engagement. Indigenous leadership includes research on indigenous issues, learning the perspectives of indigenous people, and protecting indigenous knowledge. Indigenous impact and value include benefit and reciprocity and impact of indigenous people. And, finally, sustainability and accountability include creating reports and providing compliance, “ongoing indigenous governance,” and taking care of indigenous lands and waters (AIATSIS Code, 2020, p.10). Thus, all these principles should work in synergy to provide full involvement of indigenous people in social initiatives and their legal protection.
There is also another example of an AIATSIS Code, which serves as a guarantee of aboriginal rights protection. This is the Indigenous cultural and intellectual property: the main issues for the Indigenous arts industry in 2006 code. This code is aimed to prevent exploitation of works created by aboriginal people and to engage Indigenous people into this process “through consultation and prior informed consent mechanisms” (AIATSIS Code, 2006, p. 9). Thus, AIATSIS has created an effective legal base for involving indigenous people in the protection of their own rights.
According to the AIATSIS Handbook (2010), the organization also tries to prevent racism in schools (2010, p. 36). It creates special programs that meet the needs of students who have different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. One of the initiatives is called “Racism. No way!” and is developed by the Conference of Education Systems Chief Executive Officers (CESCEO).
NIRAKN (The National Indigenous Research and Knowledges Network) is another example of an organization protecting aboriginal rights at the national level. It was established in 2012 under the Special Initiative for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Researchers’ Network (NIRAKN 2021, para. 1). The organization helps to involve indigenous people in scientific research. NIRAKN organizes and supports seminars, conferences, events, symposiums, and bursaries. It is also responsible for a range of scholarships and publishing researches in journals. NIRAKN also conducts researches to understand the needs of indigenous students. In the Annual Reports, the organization demonstrates the results of its activity, thus maintaining accountability.
Conclusion
Thus, it can be said that the aboriginal rights in Australia are protected at three levels: international, national, and global. National organizations play an important role in protecting indigenous people’s rights, as they connect the international and local levels. The list of national organizations includes such titles as NIRAKN (The National Indigenous Research and Knowledges Network), AIATSIS (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies), the Lowitja Institute, and others.
These organizations develop a profound legal basis for the protection of aboriginal rights. They have created a range of Codes that consider such issues as protecting indigenous copyright, dealing with sacred and ritual knowledge, providing payment to the indigenous authors for their works. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Handbook can serve as an example of such code. The organization also deals with racism problems, preventing it in schools and supporting a free space for people of all origins. Moreover, these organizations also solve not only legal but also health issues. For example, AIDA, a membership AIATSIS organization, deals with health issues, whereas NIRAKN supports young indigenous researchers.
All in all, the given organizations follow the principles of accountability, indigenous self-determination, indigenous leadership, and impact and value. These principles unite all the initiatives, providing that the support answers all the criteria demanded for the efficiency of organizations. It helps to create a space for the development of indigenous people and fosters their involvement in protecting their own rights.
References
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Handbook (2010) The State of Queensland (Queensland Studies Authority). Web.
Briskman, L (2007), “Research”, Social work with Indigenous communities, Federation Press, pp. 208-221.
Janke, T. (2008) Writing up Indigenous Research: authorship, copyright and Indigenous knowledge systems. Terri Janke & Company Pty Ltd. Web.
Lowitja Institute Official Page (no date). Web.
Lowitja Institute Strategic Plan (2019) Australia’s National Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research. Web.
The Conference of Education Systems Chief Executive Officers (CESCEO) (no date). Web.
The National Indigenous Research and Knowledges Network (no date). Web.
Working with Indigenous Australians First Nations People (no date). Web.