Â鶹APP

Indigenous Cambodian woman selling fish at a street market
Photo:Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock

 

Indigenous women and girls: Rights, resilience and leadership

Indigenous women and girls are leaders, knowledge keepers and agents of change.

Indigenous women and girls are vital to Indigenous Peoples¡¯ communities and to society as a whole. As leaders, knowledge holders and rights holders, they play essential roles as transmitters of Indigenous knowledge, languages and governance systems. They contribute to the well-being of their Peoples as caregivers and stewards of their lands, territories and the world¡¯s biodiversity.

Despite these contributions, their voices, leadership and experiences have too often gone unrecognized.

As women and as Indigenous persons, Indigenous women and girls are disproportionately impacted by deep-seated structural inequalities that have often resulted in poverty, illiteracy, insecure or limited access to their lands, territories and resources, non-existent or poor health care, lack of access to justice, being subjected to trafficking and other forms of gender-based violence, and unequal participation in decision-making processes.

Recognizing, supporting and investing in Indigenous women and girls is not only a matter of justice; it is an essential condition for building a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future for people and the planet.

 

A day to amplify their voices

On 26 November 2025, the Â鶹APP General Assembly decided, in its resolution , that the International Day of the World¡¯s Indigenous Women and Girls be observed on 5 September every year.

The decision to declare the International Day of the World¡¯s Indigenous Women and Girls, reflects a shared recognition that symbolic and practical actions must go hand in hand to advance the rights and well-being of Indigenous Peoples.

The International Day will generate global visibility for the leadership, contributions, and challenges faced by Indigenous women and girls. Such visibility contributes to public awareness, strengthens advocacy, and mobilizes long-term political attention and resources.

Did you know?

  • There are worldwide. 
  • Indigenous women experience , compounded by discrimination and limited access to essential services.
  • Less than , compared to just over half of non-Indigenous women.

 

Dilia Margarita C¨® Coy, Governor of Alta Verapaz in Guatemala, is a prominent Indigenous leader from the Poqomchi¡¯ community with over two decades of advocacy for women, youth, and Indigenous peoples¡¯ rights.  from UN Women. 

Do you want to enhance your understanding of Indigenous Peoples' rights and learn how to advocate for them? This  includes real stories, case studies, UN actions, activities, quizzes, tools, and resources to help you out. Upon completion, you'll receive a certificate. The course is free upon registration and available in English, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.

 

an abstract illustration of people engaged in an event

International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the Â鶹APP, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other UN observances.