U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (79 KB)

In the 1990s, representatives of the Navajo government advocated for the recognition of Navajo people’s human rights before the United Nations. In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (“Declaration”). One of the four nations that voted against the Declaration was the United States of America (“United States”). On December 16, 2010, The President of the United States Barack H. Obama announced the United States’ support of the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Since the Navajo Nation has expended a large amount of resources and time advocating strongly before the United Nations and the Organization of American States regarding Navajo human rights, the Commission deemed it appropriate and necessary to advance the interest of the Navajo people and the Navajo Nation government by conducting its works and activities consistent with the standards established by the Declaration.

The Commission affirms that the Declaration should be made part of Navajo written law and has stated so in the orientation session for the 22nd Navajo Nation Council and for the Navajo President and Vice-President after their inauguration.