Research Data Management

Please be mindful when you work with indigenous communities and their data; take into account the historical power imbalance between settlers and those who were already on this land. Even if you are not working with a specific indigenous community, the data you collect may be considered cultural, and may therefore require culture-based consultation and protocols. Regardless of where the data is stored, indigenous peoples have ownership and the right to access data about themselves and their communities. 

Please consult the University of British Columbia Library’s Principles for Indigenous Data Governance:

The FAIR principles for sharing research data (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) can actually further entrench the historical power differences between settlers and indigenous people. This open data/open science approach does not sufficiently take into account indigenous people’s rights to access and control their own information. 

In response, the Global Indigenous Data Alliance, or GIDA, has provided the CARE framework (Collective benefit, Authority to control, Responsibility, Ethics) to complement the FAIR principles, thus acknowledging and advocating for indigenous autonomy and innovation.

As provided by the GIDA website, here’s a closer look at the four pillars of the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance:

• Collective benefit: “Data ecosystems shall be designed and function in ways that enable Indigenous Peoples to derive benefit from the data.”
• Authority to control: “Indigenous people have the right and authority to control their data.”
• Responsibility: “Researchers working with Indigenous Peoples have a responsibility to support Indigenous Peoples rights.”
• Ethics: “Indigenous Peoples’ rights and wellbeing should be the primary concern at all stages of the data life cycle and across the data ecosystem.”

You can find the full document here: