Why you need to know about Indigenous Data Sovereignty

Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDS) is a term that is being discussed frequently in politics and the media. Some of us may have come across the term as a result of discussions surrounding data collection, while many of us may have only encountered the term after the outbreak of COVID-19.

But what exactly does IDS mean and how does it impact Indigenous Australians? In a world hungry for data and in desperate need of answers, the topic of data sovereignty is up for discussion. 

What is Indigenous Data Sovereignty?

Digital Agency, Animikii, defines sovereignty as an entity’s right to exercise authority and govern its own affairs. They also define the term data as simply a recording of information that can exist in various forms. 

The principle of Indigenous Data Sovereignty is to give Indigenous people the right to regulate, collect, use and own the data that is recorded on Indigenous people, communities, resources and lands.

Maiam nayri Wingara, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Data Sovereignty Collective, explains IDS as a movement in response to inadequate data practices of the past. While Indigenous people have been collecting data for millennia, a recent emergence in Indigenous engagement with modern data has been driven by a desire to implement better practices heading into the future. 

What does Indigenous Data Sovereignty mean for Indigenous Australians?

IDS was first defined by Indigenous scholars and leaders from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States of America in 2015. This definition outlined that non-Indigenous people must seek legitimate consent before publishing data about Indigenous people or their land. 

It is said that troublesome data practices and tensions surrounding power differentials occurred following the first counting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the 1967 census. A study published by the Australian National University addresses this topic and explains that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were only included in the Australian census as a self-identified population from 1971.

The study also highlights how previous data collections have been based on assumptions and are void of any Indigenous consideration. The culture, cultural practices and cultural experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were excluded from data collection analysis. Factors such as systemic racism and an inability to identify what is important to Indigenous people has also contributed to these poor practices.

The reliance on data to assist with public health research and policymaking is propelling discussions about data practice. As the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remains the poorest in Australia, the movement for IDS has strengthened.

The concept of IDS was described as a clear matter of ethics and legal responsibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research at a symposium conducted by the University of Melbourne in 2017.

Why is Indigenous Data Sovereignty important following COVID-19?

A recent interview conducted by the University of New South Wales with Scientia Fellow and Yawuru woman Dr Kalinda Griffiths, discusses the importance of IDS when it comes to the recent outbreak of COVID-19. 

Dr Griffiths explains that the emergency surrounding COVID-19 highlights the critical role that data plays in health. 

“Timely and accurate data is critical to understanding the problem,” Dr Griffiths says. 

Data gives insights into any gaps that may exist in a service capacity and can help predict how prepared a community is for an outbreak. While the threat of COVID-19 in remote Indigenous communities is currently minimal, timely and accurate data will impact the access and delivery of services should an outbreak occur. 

The relevance of IDS when it comes to the outbreak and management of COVID-19 has helped identify how each Indigenous community has different needs as a result of their access to different resources, infrastructure and normalities. 

“What’s required within those communities should be at the discretion, decision making and governance processes of the leaders within those communities. Again, governance structures across different community groups are extremely varied,” Dr Griffiths said. 

“You can’t just have a blanket approach.”

COVID-19 has exemplified how the power of data has quickly and accurately provided resources to communities and people in need. 

While historically non-Indigenous people have decided how to manage data relating to Indigenous people and communities, extreme events such as the COVID-19 pandemic are bringing this political issue to light. 

To read the full article with Dr Griffiths click here. 

For more information on data privacy and responsible information sharing within Western Australia click here.

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