CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance

The current movement toward open data and open science does not fully engage with Indigenous Peoples rights and interests. Existing principles within the open data movement (e.g. FAIR: findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable) primarily focus on characteristics of data that will facilitate increased data sharing among entities while ignoring power differentials and historical contexts. The emphasis on greater data sharing alone creates a tension for Indigenous Peoples who are also asserting greater control over the application and use of Indigenous data and Indigenous Knowledge for collective benefit.

This includes the right to create value from Indigenous data in ways that are grounded in Indigenous worldviews and realise opportunities within the knowledge economy. The CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance are people and purpose-oriented, reflecting the crucial role of data in advancing Indigenous innovation and self-determination. These principles complement the existing FAIR principles encouraging open and other data movements to consider both people and purpose in their advocacy and pursuits.

#BeFAIRandCARE

FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship can be accessed here — **FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship can be** accessed here

CARE Principles Publications

Recent publications extending on the CARE Principles

Using Indigenous Standards to Implement the CARE Principles: Setting Expectations through Tribal Research Codes (2022)

Extending the CARE Principles from tribal research policies to benefit sharing in genomic research (2022)

Applying the ‘CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance’ to ecology and biodiversity research (2023)

Acknowledgements

The CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance were drafted at the International Data Week and Research Data Alliance Plenary co-hosted event “Indigenous Data Sovereignty Principles for the Governance of Indigenous Data Workshop,” 8 November 2018, Gaborone, Botswana.

Co-lead: Stephanie Russo Carroll, University of Arizona, USA
Co-lead: Maui Hudson, University of Waikato, Aotearoa New Zealand
Jan Chapman, Australian National University, Australia
Oscar Luis Figueroa-Rodríguez, COLPOS-Colegio de Postgraduados, Mexico
Jarita Holbrook, University of Western Cape, South Africa
Ray Lovett, Australian National University, Australia
Simeon Materechera, North West University, South Africa
Mark Parsons, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA
Kay Raseroka, Joint Minds Consult, Botswana
Desi Rodriguez-Lonebear, University of Arizona, USA & University of Waikato, Aotearoa New Zealand
Robyn Rowe, Laurentian University, Canada
Rodrigo Sara, Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research(CGIAR)/Biodiversity International, Italy
Jennifer Walker, Laurentian University, Canada

Thank you to the following individuals for their comments, edits, and suggestions: Randy Akee, Leah Ballantyne, Donna Cormack, Dominique David-Chavez, Bhiamie Eckford-Williamson, Nanibaa’ Garrison, Sharon Hausam, Lydia Jennings, Tahu Kukutai, Kelsey Leonard, Christina Ore, Qunmigu (Kacey Hopson), Andrew Sporle, Michele Suina, Maggie Walter, the Alaska Native Policy Center at the First Alaskans Institute, and the “The International Law, United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Data Sovereignty” Workshop at the Oñati International Institute of the Sociology of Law.