Webinar: Insights from the IDSov Conference (Canberra)

Date: April 2, 2025

Time: 5pm local Canberra time, 06:00 UTC (60 minutes)

Registration link: https://un-org-unep.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WWyBVKxzQaOPISp0IZk2AQ

If you are interested in supporting Indigenous data sovereignty and governance or simply wish to learn more about it, then this webinar is for you! We will feature invited panelists who will share relevant insights on water quality and Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov), along with their personal highlights and key takeaways from the first three days of this important meeting. The session will conclude with a short, moderated discussion on how Indigenous and non-Indigenous science communities can collaborate in mutual respect to support Indigenous data sovereignty and governance.

Background:

At the heart of IDSov is the right of Indigenous Peoples and nations to control the collection, ownership, and application of data about their people, territories, lifeways, and natural resources. The first two days of the IDSov Conference provide a platform for Indigenous Peoples to share how they are enacting Indigenous Data Governance (IDGov). On the third day, non-Indigenous organizations and individuals are invited to discuss how they are supporting IDSov and IDGov through the governance of Indigenous data.

Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) refers to the right of Indigenous Peoples to control the collection, ownership, and application of data about themselves, their communities, lands, territories, and waters. In Earth sciences, Indigenous observations provide a crucial source of information for understanding natural phenomena. However, the ability of Indigenous Peoples, communities, and nations to steward and control data created with or about them has often been mismanaged or overlooked. Indigenous data are a strategic asset and can originate from research, administrative processes, services and program delivery, surveys, official statistical agencies, and commercial activities.