As we reflect on the 2025 Open Access Week theme, “Who Owns Our Knowledge?”, Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDS) offers a critical lens through which to explore this question. IDS refers to the rights of Indigenous Peoples to govern the collection, ownership and application of data about their communities, cultures, lands and knowledges.
Indigenous communities have long experienced the extraction of their knowledge and data, including culturally sensitive information, often without consent, context, or benefit. IDS principles challenge this colonial legacy by emphasising community control, cultural protocols and ethical stewardship of knowledge.
Open access and open data does not need to come at the cost of responsible research. The CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance of Collective benefit, Authority to control, Responsibility, and Ethics, are central to this. They guide data governance in ways that prioritise Indigenous rights and interests, by supporting data use that is open when appropriate, accountable, approved by and beneficial to the communities involved.
IDS and CARE Principles remind us that openness in research is not just about access to information, it’s about building partnerships that reflect Indigenous communities’ values and priorities, with shared benefits and responsibilities. By centring Indigenous voices and governance in Indigenous research practices, we can help develop more inclusive models of knowledge and open access.
Want to know more? Start with:
- The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Code of Ethics and Guide to applying the code.
- Health Translation Queensland’s Research with First Nations peoples resources.
Then explore related Griffith research:
