Self-determination, sovereignty and policy: how does a focus on Indigenous rights transform policymaking?

This chapter explores the challenges and requirements for implementing Indigenous self-determination and sovereignty with a specific focus on human rights discourse and its relationship to state sovereignty and gendered violence. It begins by discussing the emergence of the self-determination discourse and how it has influenced domestic policymaking. The chapter raises the question of whether UNDRIP, despite its significance, impedes the implementation of Indigenous self-determination and sovereignty. The second part of the chapter examines two policy frameworks for implementing Indigenous self-determination: the Canadian Inherent right to self-government policy and the Greenland Self-government Act of 2009. It argues that the state’s involvement in policymaking can hinder Indigenous self-determination and that policies placing marginalized groups at the centre of policymaking are more effective in promoting and protecting Indigenous self-determination. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of traditional Indigenous governance models that prioritize community involvement and decision-making in policymaking.