Self-Determination

Self-Determination in Relation to Health

• Research shows that Indigenous communities that exercise authority over key services, such as governance, education, health care, land management, and emergency services, tend to experience significantly lower mortality.
• Life promotion practices are most effective when they are developed and implemented by Indigenous communities themselves.

Self-Determination in Relation to Economic Prosperity

• Research shows that communities with comprehensive land claim or self-government agreements see increases in income and wages among Indigenous households.

Self-Determination in Relation to Education 

• Indigenous communities that manage their own education systems see stronger student outcomes. These include higher graduation rates, better attendance, and greater engagement. Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey in Nova Scotia, an Indigenous-run school system, reports graduation rates between 85 and 90 percent, more than twice the national average for Indigenous students.

Self Determination in Relation to Food 

• Colonial food systems have contributed to high rates of food insecurity, diabetes, and poor nutrition in Indigenous communities. By reclaiming traditional food systems, communities can improve access to fresh, culturally relevant, and nutrient-dense foods, leading to better physical and mental health.

• Self-determination in food systems supports both resistance to colonial structures and the resurgence of Indigenous autonomy.