Data Goyá Institute

In the 21st century, data is one of the most powerful resources in the world. From artificial intelligence and scientific research to public policy and economic development — data shapes our realities. But who controls it? Who benefits? And who is left out or harmed?

For Indigenous Peoples, the digital age brings new opportunities — and new threats. The same colonial structures that have long extracted Indigenous land, labor, and knowledge are now doing so through invisible, digital means. This is where Indigenous Data Sovereignty comes in.

What is Indigenous Data Sovereignty?

Indigenous Data Sovereignty is the right of Indigenous Peoples to govern the creation, collection, ownership, and application of data that comes from or affects their peoples, lands, cultures, and knowledges.

This includes:

• Genetic data and Digital Sequence Information (DSI)
• Cultural and ecological knowledge
• Community statistics and administrative data
• Health, education, and territory-related information

Why It Matters

1. Self-Determination is Digital, Too
   Indigenous sovereignty doesn’t stop at the border of physical territory. In the age of digital governance, data is a tool of power — and without control over that data, Indigenous Peoples are vulnerable to exploitation, exclusion, and misrepresentation.
2. From Biopiracy to Algorithmic Harm
   Whether it’s unauthorized use of Indigenous plant knowledge in biotech patents, or AI systems trained on culturally inappropriate datasets — misuse of data is not just technical.
3. Protecting Knowledge and Nature
   Data about biodiversity and ecosystems is often extracted from Indigenous territories without consent. This not only violates collective rights — it weakens global environmental efforts by ignoring the original caretakers of those ecosystems.
4. Ethics Must Be Collective
   Standard data ethics often focus on individual privacy. But Indigenous data governance is about relational accountability — how information affects communities, generations, and the land.

What We’re Doing

At Data Goyá, we defend Indigenous Data Sovereignty through:

• Legal and policy research
• Capacity building in cybersecurity and free, prior and informed consent
• Strategic advocacy at forums like the UN and IGF
• Co-creating tools for ethical data governance

We work in collaboration with Indigenous leaders, organizations, and allies across Latin America to build just, inclusive, and decolonized digital futures.

Learn More

• Walter, M., & Carroll, S. R. (2020). Indigenous Data Sovereignty, Governance and the Link to Indigenous Policy. In Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Policy. Routledge.
• The CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance (2020): https://www.gida-global.org/care
• UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP): https://www.un.org/indigenouspeoples/

#Indigenous Rights #Data Justice #DSI #Technology #Internet