Indigenous Health Framework Reshapes Global Policy and Practice

A new approach to Indigenous health has gained global recognition in recent years. The Indigenous Determinants of Health (IDH) Framework was introduced in 2023 to bridge gaps between Indigenous leadership and broader understandings of health, environment, and interconnectedness. The framework was first unveiled in 2023, reframing health beyond traditional indicators. It established Indigeneity as a key determinant of health, identifying 33 specific risk and protective factors affecting Indigenous Peoples. The 2023 World Health Organization’s Executive Board acknowledged this shift by recognising Indigeneity as a determinant of health in its report on Social Determinants of Health Equity.

In 2023, 2024, and 2025, the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues repeatedly urged member states and UN agencies to adopt the IDH Framework. The 2024 study expanded its foundation, offering guidance for institutions to integrate Indigenous health determinants into policy and practice. That same year, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity referenced the framework in Decision 16/19, linking it to the Global Plan of Action on Biodiversity and Health.

The 2025 study introduced the IDH Evaluation Instrument to measure how well institutions address Indigenous health factors and uphold Indigenous rights. The 2026 IDH study further demonstrated how Indigenous health serves as a systems integrator, showing how decisions on land, environment, governance, culture, and knowledge directly impact well-being.

Indigenous midwifery highlights the framework’s broader application. It is not just about clinical childbirth but a health system rooted in relationships between people, land, knowledge, and spirituality. These practices are deeply tied to territory, with culturally specific methods drawing on local ecosystems. The IDH Framework has reshaped global discussions on health and Indigeneity. It now guides policies across UN bodies, member states, and other institutions. The 2025 Evaluation Instrument and the 2026 study provide tools to assess and improve how systems address Indigenous health.