WHAT IS THE RIGHT OF PEOPLES TO SELF-DETERMINATION

Confederation of Humanitarian Nations (CNU)

1. The Universal Principle

The right of peoples to self-determination is a fundamental principle of international law.
It recognizes that every people has the right to freely determine its political status and to pursue its economic, social, and cultural development.

This principle is enshrined in:

  • The Charter of the United Nations, Articles 1 and 55;

  • The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 1;

  • The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Article 1;

  • The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007).

However, self-determination does not automatically imply a right to secession or independence.
It must be exercised within the framework of peace, international cooperation, and respect for the territorial integrity of existing States.

2. The CNU’s Interpretation

The Confederation of Humanitarian Nations (CNU) upholds the right of peoples to self-determination only when it is based on legitimate historical, cultural, and legal grounds, and when it serves the goals of peace, human rights, and social progress.

The CNU does not recognize self-proclaimed or improvised movements that arise without historical legitimacy, lawful representation, or peaceful intent.
Each case is carefully reviewed by the CNU Court for the Self-Determination of Peoples, a technical and legal body established under the Confederation’s Statute.

3. What Constitutes a “People”

According to the CNU Statute, a “People” is defined through a combination of objective and subjective criteria.

Objective criteria

  • A stable and documented historical and cultural identity;

  • A territorial reference (historic, traditional, or cultural) indicating collective rootedness;

  • A representative organization or self-governing structure capable of expressing collective will;

  • Continuity over time in community presence and activity.

Subjective criteria

  • A declared will to live as an organized community, in compliance with international law and universal human rights;

  • A founding act or identity manifesto defining common purpose, values, language, and symbols;

  • An explicit rejection of violence and discrimination as means of self-determination.

4. Self-Determination as a Process

For the CNU, self-determination is a progressive process, not a unilateral act.
A people becomes self-determined not through declaration alone, but through a mature, documented, and peaceful path, demonstrated by:

  • historical continuity;

  • legitimate representation;

  • third-party recognition;

  • compliance with international law and peaceful conduct.

5. Evaluation and Admission Procedure

The CNU examines applications for recognition or admission submitted by:

  • Peoples, communities, or minorities acting within international legality;

  • Cultural or representative entities legitimately expressing such peoples;

  • States or intergovernmental bodies seeking cooperative engagement with those communities.

The procedure involves:

  1. Formal submission to the CNU General Secretariat;

  2. Preliminary admissibility review by the Court for the Self-Determination of Peoples;

  3. Documentary and field assessment, when necessary;

  4. Legal and diplomatic opinion issued to the CNU General Assembly;

  5. If approved, registration in the International Confederative Registry of Peoples and Self-Determined Communities.

6. Effects of Recognition

Recognition by the CNU:

  • Does not confer state sovereignty, but rather affirms moral and representational legitimacy;

  • Grants access to humanitarian cooperation, cultural preservation, and institutional dialogue programs;

  • Ensures diplomatic visibility through official CNU dossiers submitted to UN, OSCE, and other international bodies;

  • Provides documentation and legal protection for the community’s identity and activities.

7. Safeguards Against Misuse

To prevent arbitrary or opportunistic claims of “instant self-determination,” the CNU applies strict safeguards grounded in international law:

  • Compliance with international legality and the obligations of States under existing treaties;

  • Respect for the territorial integrity of States, except in extreme cases of systematic oppression or denial of fundamental rights;

  • Commitment to non-violence and multilateral dialogue as the only legitimate path;

  • Protection of minorities and cultural pluralism within self-determined entities;

  • Exclusion of requests lacking historical continuity, representative legitimacy, or peaceful intent.

8. The Role of the CNU

The Confederation of Humanitarian Nations does not create new States.
It supports peoples and communities who, within the framework of international law, seek to:

  • preserve and promote their cultural and moral identity;

  • engage in the international community as constructive actors;

  • cooperate in humanitarian, environmental, and peacebuilding initiatives.

The CNU thus serves as a diplomatic and humanitarian platform, transforming the right of peoples to self-determination into shared responsibility and constructive participation in the international order.