The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) is a comprehensive statement addressing the human rights of indigenous peoples. It was drafted and formally debated for over twenty years prior to being adopted by the General Assembly on September 13, 2007. The document emphasizes the rights of indigenous peoples to live in dignity, to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions and to pursue their self-determined development, in keeping with their own needs and aspirations. Today the Declaration is the most comprehensive international instrument on the rights of indigenous peoples. It establishes a universal framework of minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the indigenous peoples of the world and it elaborates on existing human rights standards and fundamental freedoms as they apply to the specific situation of indigenous peoples.
MCV translated the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) into the Maasai language in June, 2018. MCV’s board voted is to strictly adhere to the UNDRIP’s principles in every decision the board makes.
MCV advocates for the protection for Maasai rights providing recommendations to the UN member states and the Kenyan government that the Maasai, along with other indigenous nations in Africa, require free, prior and informed consent regarding all decision-making pertaining to their land, resources and development. We also advocate for laws and policies with regard to indigenous traditional knowledge.