Inclusion Matters - Part 1

If knowledge is power then why do we have so many dysfuntional communities in the world today who continue to struggle and fight for equity or rights just to be part of the positive wealth economies of the world?

Worldbank.org statistics state that:

"There are approximately 476 million Indigenous Peoples worldwide, in over 90 countries. Although they make up over 6 percent of the global population, they account for about 15 percent of the extreme poor. Indigenous Peoples’ life expectancy is up to 20 years lower than the life expectancy of non-indigenous people worldwide.

"https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/indigenouspeoples

If we consider the fact that 6 percent of the global population account for 15 percent of the 'extreme poor', it doesn't sound so bad and that isnt meant to disrespect the poorer communities around the world, I am just trying to put it in context to statistics provided via the internet. However, this does seem to have a major impact on the rest of the world for those succeeding against those that don't or aren't yet successful in their lives. If we consider success as being in a happy and content state of being with yourself, environment, friends, family, work, or financial state etc that contributes to a healthy, vibrant and positive community.

I found an interesting youtube video with a discussion on Black Lives Matter with Ben Shapiro, where he points to the problem of 'culture' and not race or racism.

"Because it has nothing to do with race and everything to do with culture." Nov 8 2017

https://youtu.be/qSmiZCQP58 (0.43 to 1.29)

I partially agree with this sentiment but that is not to say that I agree with everything Ben Shapiro claims. In another section of the same video he puts forward a resolution to solve the problem.

"... act like a human being, honestly, it's not a useful, [sic] it's not useful to riot, it's not useful to break things ..." (3.01 to 3.10)

"... the more outraged your are, and the more angry you are, the more justified you must be is absolute nonsense ..." (3.10 to 3.27)

This is not about Ben Shapiro's opinions or thoughts but more on the question of how do we contribute to better understand and improve the global need around us in the poorer communities. Although I agree that people do need to reconsider their values and need to learn, 'to act like human beings', this comment does not consider or resolve the past that belongs to generations of people who have been displaced, biased, isolated, enslaved, excluded and marginalised ... They are possibly re-acting their past pains and for someone like Ben Shapiro to state that it is as simple as to '... just act like human beings ...' when many have been mistreated for centuries, in my opinion, a 'white privileged' answer to this 'pandemic', without any care, understanding or awareness. However, and aside from that discourse, I propose the question ...

"Why are the indigenous communities important to the rest of the world, when they are the minority?

A Blog within the Worldbank.org community provided 3 reports that addressed the following issues. The third point is the one that highlights the value that Indigenous Peoples bring the the global communities.

1. Indigenous Peoples and ethnic minorities are more likely to be poor.

2. While there have been advances, Indigenous Peoples and ethnic minorities continue to face exclusion and marginalization, and lack equal access to basic services.

3. Third, Indigenous Peoples help protect our environment, fight climate change, and build resilience to natural disasters, yet their rights aren’t always protected.

While Indigenous Peoples own, occupy, or use a quarter of the world’s surface area, they safeguard 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity.

Over 20% of the world’s tropical forest carbon is stored in Indigenous People’s territories in the Amazon Basin, Mesoamerica, the DRC, and Indonesia.

However, only a fraction of indigenous lands are officially recognized by states.

https://blogs.worldbank.org/voices/three-reasons-why-we-should-all-care-about-indigenous-peoples

COVID 19 has been one of the most globalised interference of human mannerism that I can recall. By this I mean that the technologies have enabled global conversations and interactions with every possible culture and cultural presence towards healing and prevention.

I dont know how many Part series this dialogue will become but I will look at how the world itself (earth, sea, air, waters) began to heal itself in the shortest time. As soon as we stopped the abuse to the land sea, air and waters the elements created their own healing processes.

COVID 19 provided the opportunity to reflect, heal, mend and interact.

If the world can heal itself when given the oppotunity out of the neccessity to survive, then we should learn to do the same.