According to the United Nations, there are over 476 million Indigenous people living in 90 countries across the world. Indigenous people hold a diversity of unique cultures, traditions, languages, knowledge systems and have special relationships with their lands. Although numerous Indigenous peoples have been successful in establishing autonomy in varying forms, many still continue to experience existing inequalities and suffer from poverty, discrimination and low access to educational services (United Nations, 2021). To raise awareness, The United Nation’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is celebrated every year on the 9th of August.

The theme for the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2021 is “Leaving no one behind: Indigenous peoples and the call for a new social contract.” To celebrate this day the International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders is hosting a series of webinars during the month of September 2021, highlighting  hearing-related research and clinical services by the Indigenous peoples and for the Indigenous peoples from across the world.

EMC researchers Alehandrea Manuel, Dr. Elizabeth Holt and Professor Suzanne Purdy have been invited to discuss research that they and others in Aotearoa New Zealand are undertaking in an effort to reduce inequalities in ear and hearing healthcare with Māori and the Pacific region communities across the life course.

Alehandrea Manuel is the Māori Research Co-ordinator, Dr. Elizabeth Holt is the Pacific Research Advisor and Prof. Suzanne Purdy is the Deputy Co-director of the Eisdell Moore Centre.

Abstracts and recordings of these webinars are now available here