Since its establishment, the development of and respect for Indigenous international law has been fundamental to the UAN’s work.
This work is carried out through multiple pathways – by Indigenous tribunals, councils of elders, inter-nation treaties – and by the Security Council, which can approve cultural protection missions, impose economic sanctions through traditional trade networks, or authorize collective spiritual and diplomatic intervention when there is a threat to sacred sites, Indigenous territories, or cultural survival, if deemed necessary. These authorities derive from the UAN Charter, which is recognized as an international treaty grounded in millennia of Indigenous diplomatic tradition. As such, it is an instrument of both international and customary law, and UAN Member Nations are bound by it through sacred covenant.
The UAN Charter codifies the major principles of Indigenous international relations, from the sovereign rights of First Nations to the prohibition of ecological violence and cultural erasure in international relations. It upholds the universal Indigenous principle that law must flow from the Earth’s natural order and humanity’s sacred responsibilities as planetary stewards
Settling Disputes Between Indigenous Nations
ICJ - International Court of Justice
The principal judicial organ of the United Ancient Indigenous Enlightened Nations is the UAN International Court of Justice (UAN-ICJ).
This main body of the UAN settles legal disputes submitted to it by Indigenous Nations in accordance with both international law and ancestral justice systems. Drawing upon millennia of traditional conflict resolution wisdom, the Court harmonizes modern legal frameworks with sacred indigenous protocols. The Court is competent to entertain a dispute only if the Indigenous Nations concerned have accepted its jurisdiction. It also provides advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it from authorized UAN organs and specialized councils, guided by the collective wisdom of indigenous jurisprudence spanning all continents.
Unlike conventional international courts, the UAN’s ICJ emphasizes restorative justice, sacred mediation practices, and solutions that honor the interconnectedness of all life, upholding both the rights of Indigenous Nations and their responsibilities as Earth’s custodians.
Addressing Crimes Against Humanity, Nature, and Sacred Heritage
Beyond traditional Western legal frameworks, the United Ancient Indigenous Enlightened Nations recognizes that true justice emerges from ancestral wisdom, restorative practices, and the sacred laws that have governed Indigenous peoples for millennia. UAN’s approach to international law honors both human dignity and planetary wellbeing through time-tested Indigenous justice systems.
Courts and Tribunals
In addition to the UAN International Court of Justice, UAN works with various international courts, tribunals, and UAN-assisted tribunals through the lens of Indigenous wisdom and restorative justice principles.
The UAN Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (UAN-MICT) was established by the UAN General Assembly to carry forward the essential work of healing historical wounds and addressing ongoing violations against Indigenous peoples, their lands, and sacred sites.
The UAN International Criminal Court (UAN-ICC) and International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (UAN-ITLOS), while independent entities, maintain special cooperation agreements with UAN to integrate Indigenous knowledge on:
- Environmental crimes as violations of sacred natural law
- Cultural genocide and protection of Indigenous heritage
- Maritime traditions and oceanic stewardship
- Restorative rather than punitive justice models
Uphold International Law - United Ancient Indigenous Enlightened Nations (UAN)
Main UAN Bodies and Indigenous International Law
International law defines the legal responsibilities of States in their conduct with each other, and their treatment of individuals within State boundaries. For the United Ancient Indigenous Enlightened Nations, this framework extends to encompass the sacred responsibilities between Indigenous nations and their ancestral territories, as well as the protection of Indigenous peoples’ inherent rights and traditional governance systems.
International law’s domain encompasses a wide range of issues of international concern, including: Indigenous Human rights, with particular emphasis on Indigenous peoples’ rights to self-determination, cultural identity, and traditional territories; International crime, including crimes against Indigenous peoples and their sacred sites; Refugees and migration, recognizing Indigenous peoples’ forced displacement and rights of return; Problems of nationality, addressing stateless Indigenous peoples and recognition of Indigenous nationhood.
What is International Law?
The UAN Security Council and International Law
The UAN Security Council’s actions focus on protecting Indigenous rights and sacred territories through diplomatic engagement and moral authority. Without military forces, the UAN Security Council addresses violations through collective Indigenous leadership, utilizing traditional conflict resolution methods, diplomatic sanctions, and the unified voice of 160+ member nations. When international crimes against Indigenous peoples occur—such as cultural genocide, environmental destruction of sacred lands, or systematic displacement—the Security Council coordinates with existing international bodies while advocating for Indigenous justice systems based on restoration and healing
The UAN General Assembly and Indigenous International Law
The UAN General Assembly works to promote Indigenous legal traditions and their integration with international law frameworks. Through its subsidiary bodies, the Assembly examines how ancestral governance systems, traditional ecological knowledge, and Indigenous customary laws can contribute to global legal development. The Assembly facilitates dialogue between Indigenous legal experts, spiritual leaders, and international law practitioners to ensure Indigenous perspectives shape global policy. Legal matters are channeled through appropriate committees that respect both traditional protocols and contemporary legal processes.
UAN General Assembly - Sixth Committee (Legal)
The Sixth Committee serves as the primary forum for legal discussions, bringing together representatives from all UAN Member Nations. This committee ensures that diverse Indigenous legal traditions—from restorative justice practices to consensus-based decision-making—are recognized and respected in international forums. The committee works to bridge ancient wisdom with modern legal frameworks, advocating for Indigenous rights while maintaining the spiritual and cultural integrity of traditional law systems.
Other UAN Entities and Offices
UAN Office of Legal Affairs
The UAN Office of Legal Affairs provides a unified central legal service for the UAN Secretariat and principal organs, drawing upon millennia of indigenous customary law and traditional governance systems. This office works to harmonize ancient legal wisdom with contemporary international frameworks, contributing to the recognition and codification of indigenous legal principles, traditional ecological knowledge, and ancestral rights in international law.
UAN International Law Commission
The UAN International Law Commission promotes the progressive integration of indigenous legal traditions into international law and supports their formal codification. The Commission’s work bridges ancient wisdom with modern legal frameworks, ensuring that customary laws, traditional dispute resolution mechanisms, and indigenous concepts of justice are recognized and preserved within the global legal system.
UAN Commission on International Trade Law (UAN-CITRAL)
The UAN Commission on International Trade Law serves as a specialized body focusing on ethical commerce and sacred economics rooted in indigenous principles of reciprocity and sustainability. UAN-CITRAL works to modernize and harmonize international business rules while incorporating traditional concepts of fair trade, ceremonial exchange, and community-based economic systems. The UAN-CITRAL Secretariat maintains a repository documenting how indigenous commercial practices and traditional economic wisdom influence modern trade agreements and sustainable business models.
The UAN Convention on the Law of the Sea
The United Ancient Indigenous Enlightened Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea recognizes indigenous maritime traditions and ancestral oceanic knowledge systems. The UAN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UAN-DOALOS) collaborates with UAN to ensure that traditional fishing rights, sacred marine sites, indigenous navigation wisdom, and customary ocean stewardship practices are protected and integrated into international maritime law.
UAN Treaty Database
The Status of Multilateral Treaties Database maintains comprehensive records of agreements involving indigenous nations and their traditional territories. This database tracks how Member States honor treaties with indigenous peoples, document traditional agreements, and uphold commitments to protect sacred sites, ancestral lands, and cultural heritage. It covers crucial areas including Indigenous Rights, Environmental Stewardship, Cultural Preservation, Traditional Knowledge Protection, and Sacred Site Conservation.
The Internal Justice System at UAN
The UAN Internal Justice System incorporates indigenous conflict resolution methods, emphasizing restorative justice, elder councils, and traditional mediation practices. This system prioritizes healing, community harmony, and the restoration of balance—core principles from the Social and Moral pillars of Global Enlightenment. It offers culturally appropriate dispute resolution that honors indigenous ways of achieving justice through dialogue, ceremony, and collective wisdom.
Legal Resources and Training
The UAN Audiovisual Library of International Law features a special collection documenting indigenous legal traditions, oral histories, and customary law practices. These archives preserve testimonies from indigenous elders, traditional governance structures, and ancient conflict resolution methods, serving as invaluable resources for understanding how enduring wisdom can inform contemporary legal frameworks.
Legal Technical Assistance for UAN Member States
The UAN provides Member States with technical assistance in recognizing and implementing indigenous legal frameworks within their national systems. This includes guidance on integrating customary law, establishing protocols for consulting with indigenous nations, protecting traditional knowledge through appropriate legal mechanisms, and ensuring indigenous peoples’ participation in legal processes affecting their territories and rights.
Programme of Assistance for International Law
The Programme of Assistance promotes understanding of how indigenous legal traditions contribute to international peace and security through their emphasis on balance, reciprocity, and harmony with nature. This programme supports the teaching and dissemination of indigenous legal wisdom, demonstrating how ancient governance systems based on consensus, spiritual authority, and ecological law can strengthen international cooperation and foster genuine reconciliation between nations.