Rights and resurgence in Aotearoa New Zealand: A case study of the united nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples role in self determination

Abstract

The 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (the Declaration) has gained increasing attention as a tool for promoting Indigenous rights. The study reported in this article contributes to the discussion about the Declaration’s effectiveness by analysing its role in advancing Indigenous peoples’ self-determination. A qualitative case study was conducted between January and February 2018 with 18 Māori activists in Aotearoa New Zealand, using a rights-based and Indigenous-based approach to form the analytical framework. Principal findings indicate that the power imbalance in Aotearoa and weak responsiveness by government to Māori rights undermine their self-determination. The Declaration can help bridge this imbalance by providing norms and standards to hold government accountable. This article also provides new scholarship on how and why Indigenous activists utilise rights-based and Indigenous-based approaches, finding that no single approach or advocacy method is used alone and that Māori deftly combine the Declaration with Indigenous methods of activism to enhance their self-determination.