Bolivia, Colombia & Canada : How the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Have and Have Not Been Adopted

Abstract: Approximately 15 years ago the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) were signed, with 144 in favour, 11 abstentions and 4 rejections. The UNDRIP was ground-breaking, but the rejection from 4 powerful states (Canada, USA, New Zealand and Australia), and the subsequent lack of implementation decreased the expectations. This study sets out to investigate three states, Canada, Colombia, and Bolivia, and how they have implemented the declaration. Each state has cast a different vote on the declaration, which constructed a dissimilar stance on the UNDRIP. With a comparative research analysis, cases from each state will be reviewed through key-concepts from post-colonialism, such as hegemony, environmentalism, and place. Data is collected from national constitutions, court rulings and articles on the contrasting priorities of the government and the indigenous peoples. To measure the realization, three articles have been selected from the declaration. This paper concludes that even though the states have made substantial progress in legally adopting the declaration, practical realization lacks. This is due to the countries concern of losing political power were the indigenous peoples to gain self-determination or the inability to conduct extractive projects on indigenous territory which would increase national income.