The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization has published on UNPO Academy the article “Documenting Peoplehood: Archives as Resources for UNPO Members’ Fundamental Rights” by Prof. Fiona McConnell and Dr. Alex Manby of the University of Oxford. The piece explores how archives serve not only as repositories of history, but as vital instruments for the recognition, advocacy, and empowerment of unrepresented nations and peoples.
Archives have long been used as evidence in humanitarian and legal contexts. But, for unrepresented communities they play an even broader role, acting as proof of peoplehood, tools of cultural preservation and foundations for self-determination. As highlighted in the article, archives contribute to these goals in several key ways:
- Evidencing peoplehood: Archives document historical continuity, cultural distinctiveness, and diplomatic presence, essential elements for collective recognition. Digital platforms such as Docip and Minority Forum Info help preserve participation records in international forums, reinforcing legitimacy and visibility.
- Preserving culture and memory: In line with Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Peoples, archives help safeguard languages, traditions, and histories, particularly for diasporic communities. UNPO itself, together with the University of Oxford and other partners, is digitising its institutional archives to strengthen transparency and advocacy.
- Building counter-narratives: By preserving authentic voices and challenging state-driven misinformation, archives empower communities to reclaim their narratives. Initiatives such as the Palestinian Museum Digital Archive exemplify this role.
- Documenting human rights violations: Archives also serve as repositories of evidence in human rights advocacy and transitional justice, as demonstrated by the Myanmar Witness Archive and Documenta in the Balkans.
Despite their transformative potential, unrepresented communities continue to face significant barriers to archiving, ranging from censorship and confiscation to limited digital infrastructure. To address these challenges, UNPO promotes collaboration between communities, academic institutions and archival networks as part of its “Preserving Identities, Re-owning Narratives” campaign, which seeks to make accessible key materials documenting members’ cultures, histories, and identities.
“For unrepresented nations and peoples, archives are not relics of the past,they are living resources through which communities assert their identity, peoplehood, and right to self-determination,”
