This report consists of a critical analysis of the content of the right to health vis-à-vis indigenous peoples and a review of the legal obligations of States and others in terms of fulfilling that right.

Indigenous peoples’ concept of health and well-being is generally broader and more holistic than that of mainstream society, with health frequently viewed as both an individual and a collective right, strongly determined by community, land and the natural environment. Indigenous concepts of health often incorporate spiritual, emotional, cultural and social dimensions in addition to physical ones. 

Indigenous peoples’ concept of health is frequently disregarded within nonindigenous health systems, creating significant barriers to access (see A/HRC/30/41, para. 31). Indigenous peoples worldwide experience higher rates of health risks, poorer health and greater unmet needs in respect of health care than their non-indigenous counterparts. 

Although this is the first study of the Expert Mechanism focusing on the right to health, previous studies have addressed the links between access to justice and the health of indigenous women and indigenous persons with disabilities (A/HRC/27/65), the health implications for indigenous peoples of disaster risk reduction initiatives (A/HRC/27/66) and the importance of indigenous cultures and languages for the health of indigenous peoples (A/HRC/21/53).