By G M Forhadul Mozumder (Dhaka Bureau)
As the world strives to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, international human rights activists and public health experts issue a stark warning: fulfilling these global commitments is impossible without the full inclusion of Indigenous peoples in mainstream development.
In a message marking International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the UN Secretary General emphasized that Indigenous peoples are not only custodians of the world’s rich cultural heritage, but also vital guardians of the planet’s crucial ecosystems and an indispensable part of humanity’s shared future.
An Urgent Call to Eliminate ‘Invisibility’ in Healthcare
The UN chief called on governments worldwide to end the systemic practice of leaving Indigenous communities invisible in health data and services. He urged immediate investments in collecting Indigenous-specific health data, training Indigenous midwives, protecting maternal health, and ensuring women’s rights to make independent decisions regarding their bodies and healthcare.
‘Indigenous midwives and health workers do more than deliver babies,’ noted the UN Secretary General. ‘They pass down language, culture, social values, and life-saving traditional knowledge from generation to generation.’
The Bangladesh Context: Crisis in CHT and the Plains
In Bangladesh, Indigenous communities residing in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and plainland regions have long faced challenges in education, basic healthcare, communication infrastructure, and economic opportunities. Due to remote geography and hilly terrain, timely maternal healthcare access for pregnant women in marginalized areas remains an ongoing emergency crisis.
According to public health experts, addressing this crisis in Bangladesh requires immediate priority in the following areas:
* Deploying Skilled Midwives: Increasing the number of trained midwives and nurses in remote Indigenous areas.
* Mobile Medical Teams: Operating mobile health units to deliver essential maternal and neonatal care to isolated villages.
* Strengthening Emergency Referral Systems: Establishing reliable transportation and referral networks for complex obstetric emergencies.
* Awareness in Native Languages: Conducting reproductive health and awareness programs in local Indigenous languages.
* Integrating Traditional Birth Attendants: Providing scientific training to traditional midwives and integrating them into the formal healthcare system.
Dual Threat: Climate Crisis and Cultural Extinction
Globally, the adverse impacts of climate change severely affect Indigenous communities dependent on forests, mountains, and coastal areas. Their livelihoods, food security, access to safe drinking water, and health are under extreme threat. In the CHT region of Bangladesh, heavy rainfall, landslides, and seasonal natural disasters frequently cut off pregnant women from life-saving medical care.
At the same time, globalization and socio-economic pressures are driving many Indigenous languages and cultural traditions toward extinction. The loss of these languages threatens a vast reservoir of traditional knowledge, including herbal medicine, maternal care, and traditional neonatal practices. Researchers emphasize that alongside modern medicine, safe and scientifically evaluated traditional knowledge must be preserved.
Key Policy Recommendations for Policymakers
In line with the UN Secretary-General’s guidelines, experts highlighted several critical measures:
1. Systematically collecting reliable, disaggregated health data on Indigenous populations.
2. Allocating specific national budget provisions for maternal and child health in Indigenous regions.
3. Eliminating linguistic, geographic, and cultural barriers to public healthcare access.
4. Ensuring the active participation of Indigenous representatives in formulating and implementing national health policies.
‘Indigenous rights are not merely an isolated health issue; they represent an integrated call for human rights, social justice, and sustainable human development.’
Indigenous peoples must not be viewed merely as passive ‘beneficiaries’ of relief, but as equal partners in shaping the future. Their millennia-old knowledge in biodiversity conservation and climate resilience is an invaluable asset for all humanity. Guaranteeing the rights, health, and dignity of Indigenous women and their communities is a fundamental prerequisite for building an inclusive and sustainable world.
G M Forhadul Mozumder: Staff Correspondent, Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.
