Ethical dimension of indigenous knowledge systems

Abstract

Indigenous people around the world both in developed and developing countries have long been marginalized by governments and /or by other privileged social groups from main stream social, political and economic activities. As a result they suffer indignity because their legitimate human rights are violated by way of social exclusion, linguistic marginalization, erosion of cultural identity, preference for foreign to local content, low literacy levels, intellectual property exploitation, and push/pull factors. The   World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) provided an opportunity for indigenous people to become part of an inclusive information society where everybody without distinction would have access to enhanced services including information and knowledge resources to improve their livelihood.  Indeed WSIS Action Lines (ALs) 1, 2, 3 6 and 8 discuss the various legitimate rights that are pertinent to indigenous people and their information and knowledge systems. However, Action Line 10 (ethical dimension of information society) which should enforce the provisions of the rest of WSIS Actions Lines instead offers omnibus and overarching ethical prescriptions of an information society. This we submit cannot effectively serve the needs and aspirations of indigenous people or promote and protect their knowledge systems that have long been marginalized. This article assesses the ethical dimension of indigenous knowledge and outlines the legitimate rights that indigenous communities and their associated knowledge systems must enjoy in an inclusive information society. The following research questions are addressed in this article: What are the legitimate rights of indigenous people? What is the ethical dimension of indigenous knowledge? What push and pull factors are contributing to violations of rights of indigenous people and their information/knowledge systems? Are indigenous people’s legitimate rights unique? A review of literature is used to respond to each of the research questions. The subject matter discussed has practical and policy implications for the implementation of Action Line 10 of WSIS on ethical dimension of the information society.