The Indigenous World 2025: Colombia

Written on 25 April 2025. Posted in Colombia

Updated demographic information projected to 2024 on the basis of the Colombia Population and housing Census 2018 indicates that there are 2,489,189 individuals who self-identify as belonging to one of the country's 115 Indigenous Peoples, or 4.7% of the total population.^[i]

The geography of the Indigenous territories includes coastal regions on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, areas of the Andean mountains, tropical forests in the north-western Amazon, the Orinoco plains, vast desert areas and island lands. Some 54.9% of the Indigenous population lives in dispersed rural areas or population centres located within 896 formal reserves^[ii] while 41.5% live in urban areas or population centres off-reserve.

Source: own work, based on DANE, 2018^[iii]

Although the dynamics of the Indigenous population vary significantly between the different peoples and regions, it is possible to note some general characteristics such as higher birth rates and lower life expectancy than the general population, as reflected in an Indigenous pyramid that is typical of young or growing populations and which is only now showing the first signs of declining birth rates.

Source: own work, based on DANE 2018, 2024

Although some peoples have very unique pyramids that differ markedly from the general trend, the typical structure indicates that the number of people in the 15-25 age range accounts for 20.6% of the total Indigenous population, or approximately 259,000 men and 254,000 women in 2024. This important segment corresponds to a generation that is facing multiple key issues for the survival of their societies and cultures, and which is taking on significant challenges both within their communities and in the face of the hegemonic society and global problems.

During 2024, Indigenous youth continued to make progress in their organizational processes and to strengthen their participation in multiple local and regional arenas, in national life and in the global destiny of their peoples.

This article is part of the 39^th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. The photo above is of an Indigenous activist Funa-ay Claver, a Bontok Igorot, standing alongside Indigenous youth activists and others. They are protesting against the repressive laws and human rights violations suffered through the actions and projects of the Government of the Philippines and other actors against Indigenous Peoples at President Marcos Jr’s national address on 22 July 2024 in Quezon City, Philippines. The photo was taken by Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas and is the cover of The Indigenous World 2025 where this article is featured. Find The Indigenous World 2025 in full here

More than an intergenerational dialogue

There never used to exist any generational separation or breakdown in life cycles within the social order of most of Colombia’s Indigenous Peoples. Children would participate in community life from a very early age, and their passage to adolescence and adulthood was not marked by psychological, social or political tensions that might determine the construction of their individual or social identity. This way of being and living in the world can still be seen among many peoples, especially those living in the geographic regions farthest from the centres of power, such as the Orinoco, Amazon and biogeographic Chocó.

The category of “youth” has, however, somehow arisen due to a performative pressure exerted by the dominant society through school and media, which highlights and emphasizes stereotypes, exclusions, conflicts and dilemmas specific to youth in the Western world. Unable to escape these rules, Indigenous youth are torn between a colonialist denial of their traditions and cultures and a reinterpretation of their roots, while at the same time suffering from a dual discrimination based, on the one hand, on their ethnic origin and belonging and, on the other, on the various ways in which young people are subordinate to the hegemonic society.

Without ignoring these challenges, Indigenous youth have been forging and disputing new spaces of encounter and participation that bridge the territorial problems of their communities, the urban scenarios in which many find themselves due to displacement, armed conflict and dispossession, and the global challenges facing humanity in the face of environmental, migratory and armed crises and the depredation of nature.

(...) we consider that these mingas [cooperative work or coming together] that go beyond territorial borders will also allow us to have a broader and more global perspective (...) There are different social dynamics that go beyond the dynamics of our own uses and customs and, perhaps, with this knowledge that our brother peoples have from different corners of the world, we can also promote and give added strength to what the Indigenous Peoples of Colombia want, through their youth. (Jonatan Mueces, young man from the Pastos people, 2023)

One such arena is the National Delegation of Indigenous Youth (Delegación Nacional de Juventudes Indígenas, DENAJI), which operates as part of the Permanent Roundtable for Consultation with Indigenous Peoples (Mesa Permanente de Concertación,MPC),^[iv] one of the main national-level bodies involved in the relationship between Indigenous Peoples and the Colombian State. The MPC is made up of five of the most representative organizations of the peoples from different regions of the country: Organización Nacional Indígena de Colombia (ONIC); Organización Nacional de los Pueblos Indígenas de la Amazonía Colombiana (OPIAC); Autoridades Tradicionales Indígenas de Colombia - Gobierno Mayor; Autoridades Indígenas de Colombia-AICO Por la Pacha Mama; and Confederación Indígena Tayrona (CIT).

One of DENAJI's tasks is to include a special chapter on Indigenous youth in the National Policy for Children and Adolescents 2019-2030 (PNIA) and draw up a roadmap for its implementation. It has also set itself the objective of influencing some of the country’s most transcendental events, such as the implementation of the Ethnic Chapter of the 2016 Peace Agreement^[v] signed between the State and the former FARC guerrilla, as well as the new dialogues with illegal armed actors envisaged in the “Total Peace” policy for a final solution to the armed conflict promoted by the current government.^[vi]

Other topics discussed by Indigenous youth in these arenas include educational models, job opportunities and migration to the cities. In the area of education, there are limitations to their accessing secondary and higher education due to geographic, economic and cultural barriers, despite the fact that there has been an increase in the number of young people accessing public universities and intercultural education programmes in recent decades.

In the labour market, young people in some regions – especially those who have been displaced from their territories as a result of the armed conflict or a precarious economic situation – face high rates of under- and unemployment, aggravated by discrimination or a lack of technical skills that prevent them from competing for jobs in urban areas on equal terms.

Faced with these problems, they have been working on their own innovative educational models, which include higher education programmes based on the principles of decolonized knowledge and practices, and work proposals such as green jobs, which better respond to their distinct aspirations and their desire to reconnect with their territories of origin.^[vii]

The peoples’ COP

During 2024, the national government redoubled its commitment to restructuring national priorities around the preservation of life – in its multiple manifestations but particularly in relation to biodiversity, water, forests and the transformation of the energy matrix – as the coordinating theme of the country's economic, social, political and communicational policies.

With this in mind, the country was fully engaged in hosting the 16^th Conference of the Parties under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 16), an international treaty adopted at the Earth Summit in Río de Janeiro in 1992. Under the slogan “Peace with Nature”, COP16 was held in October 2024 in Cali, Colombia, and brought together the most diverse academic, economic, governmental and media sectors, together with the social organizations, who played a leading role in organizing the conference and ensuring its success.

Indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples from different regions actively participated in COP16. Months in advance, they prepared an agenda for their participation in the scientific, cultural and informative arenas open to the public (Green Zone), as well as in the official meetings, in which they took part as members of the Colombian delegation (Blue Zone).

By preparing for these events, Indigenous and Afro-descendant women and youth played an inspiring role, sharing ancestral knowledge and experiences of biodiversity conservation, but also presenting concrete proposals for protecting biological diversity, valuing ancestral resources and knowledge, defending their rights in the global dialogue of COP16 and the Convention on Biological Diversity, and contributing to the construction of a new and viable development model for all humankind.^[viii]

It is imperative that the States Parties and humanity recognize and respect all forms of life in order to heal and restore harmony and balance as the essential core of global peace among the beings that inhabit Mother Earth. Finally, we, the Indigenous Peoples, native peoples and nationalities, call on the governments of the world to that threatens the existence of Mother Earth as our common home and that of humanity, in order to advance in the construction of models that guarantee life and peace. (MPC-COP 16, 2024)^[ix]

Undoubtedly, COP16 made significant global and national achievements, the following being particularly noteworthy:

• Approval of the agreement for defining marine areas of special ecological importance in international waters and the commitment of all countries to implement mechanisms and actions to protect these areas once they are identified.
• The creation of the Cali Fund (part of the Multilateral Mechanism) into which companies that use digital databases of genetic information must pay (1% of their income or 0.1% of their sales). This money will be distributed to the countries with the greatest biodiversity.
• Recognition of the link between biodiversity and climate change to be formally presented and promoted at COP29.
• The creation of a multi-donor fund for the protection of the biogeographic Chocó, shared between Panama, Colombia and Ecuador, along the Pacific corridor.
• The definition of a preliminary financial roadmap and architecture that incorporates several strategies for financing biodiversity protection actions, linked to the indicators for meeting the CBD targets.
• The approval of the first negotiation of a Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health that establishes the basis for coordinated work between health and the environment.

Of particular interest to the ethnic peoples and communities of Colombia and the world were the following COP16 achievements:

• Approval of the Programme of Work with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities for the implementation of Article 8j^[x] and other related provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
• Approval to establish a subsidiary body of communities and Indigenous Peoples as a consultative body to the CBD.
• Approval of the recognition of the contribution of Afro-descendant peoples to biodiversity conservation within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

During the COP, Indigenous youth participated in workshops, camps, academic and cultural events with the aim of making their positions known and introducing proposals to address the global challenges for biodiversity conservation, counter the vulnerabilities associated with climate change, and expand their advocacy in global forums such as the COP and other multilateral mechanisms related to the environment.

(...) on 21 October, the Indigenous Youth in Action for Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Change Advocacy workshop was held with the purpose of forging a regional impact strategy for Indigenous youth and adolescents in their contribution to the preservation of Biodiversity; the Indigenous Youth and Adolescents in Action for Biodiversity Conservation Camp [was also held], where participants emphasized the importance of basing the implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Framework on Biodiversity on the principle of intergenerational equity. (FILAC, 2014)^[xi]        

Indigenous Peoples are now environmental authorities

Since the enactment of Colombia's 1991 Political Constitution and ILO Convention 169, Colombia's Indigenous Peoples and organizations have been demanding that the State recognize them as environmental authorities in their territories based on their rights to autonomy and self-determination. However, since then, many of the decisions on environmental matters, including the issuing of licences, permits and authorizations, have been in the hands of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the National Authority of Environmental Licenses, and the Regional Autonomous Corporations for Sustainable Development. Contradictions and tensions are often difficult to resolve with these bodies due to the unilateral imposition of their decisions, the weak governance in Indigenous territories, and the failure to implement consultation and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), among other things.

This anomaly was addressed by the current government when a process of prior consultation of Indigenous Peoples was developed during the formulation of the National Development Plan 2022-2026. In this context, a series of commitments was made, including progress in guaranteeing their autonomous right to manage and control the natural resources existing on Indigenous territories. In order to comply with this obligation, the national government and the peoples' organizations agreed on the text of Presidential Decree 1275 of 2024: “Establishing the norms for the management of the Indigenous territories in environmental matters and the development of the environmental powers of the Indigenous authorities and their effective coordination with other authorities and/or entities”.^[xii] With regard to this normative milestone, the Permanent Roundtable for Consultation with Indigenous Peoples stated:

This important step forward not only reaffirms our commitment to the protection and defence of the territory but also strengthens the autonomy of the communities and their ways of life. This decree is a significant step towards recognition of and respect for our ancestral rights, guaranteeing the preservation of our natural and cultural environment for future generations. (MPC, 2024)

Total Peace and Indigenous youth

Despite the efforts of the current government and broad sectors of society to achieve “Total Peace” and overcome the structural causes of the historical violence, one of the serious problems still facing young Indigenous Colombians is the constant anxiety caused by warring illegal armed actors in their territories.

One of the most serious issues reported by the communities and human rights organizations is forced and “voluntary” recruitment by means of financial incentives. Armed groups with a presence across large parts of the country engage in systematic enlistment practices to fill the ranks of their militias with children and young people, especially Indigenous children from vulnerable rural sectors. According to the Ombudsman's Office:

In the first half of 2024, the Ombudsman's Office recorded 159 cases of forced recruitment of children and adolescents in Colombia. Fifty-one percent of the total corresponded to children and adolescents from Indigenous Peoples; 31% to no ethnic group; 5% to Afro-Colombian communities; and 13% had no information available. Sixty-seven percent of all cases known to the national human rights body involve male and 33% female children and adolescents. (Ombudsman's Office, 2024)^[xiii]

Source: Authors’ own work based on Ombudsman's Office, 2014

The department most affected by the phenomenon of Indigenous child and adolescent recruitment is Cauca, with 79% of all cases, followed by Arauca, Nariño, Putumayo and Norte de Santander, all of which have a high presence of Indigenous communities. The effects of such recruitment go far beyond the harm caused to individuals and their families. Faced with this type of situation, communities are forced to make decisions such as removing their children and young people from school, restricting their mobility, moving to another region, and abandoning productive areas or cultural and organizational activities. Violence, recruitment and forced displacement have also significantly affected the demographic stability of the communities, generating temporary and permanent population concentrations in urban areas, altering traditional structures and undermining traditional forms of government and authority, essential for the rights to collective territory and autonomy.

Since forced recruitment is one of the worst attacks on Indigenous children and youth in many communities, their participation in and advocacy on actions to prevent and contain this scourge is increasing. In fact, the youth of Cauca have joined several organizational processes of regional importance to overcome violence and “remove young people from the war”:

In the Southwest, they are joined by other young people’s organizational processes, such as the Cauca Youth Peace Agenda, Caminando por la Paz (Walking for Peace) or the Cauca Departmental Youth Network. All seek to safeguard the rights of young people, their recognition as autonomous political subjects and their contributions to peacebuilding. Yiner tells us: “The objective is to remove young people from the war. To this end, they are demanding that the State recognize their participation and capacity to lead this effort. They know that art, culture and education are key to creating sensitivity and allowing the connection between mind, heart and feet on Mother Earth; when we move forward with Mother Earth we have a social empathy for the responsibility that is ours. In other words, individual, collective and territorial harmony is built in response to the siege of weapons.” (Razón Pública, 2024)^[xiv]

This brief account of key moments for Colombia’s Indigenous Peoples in 2024, as well as the increased participation and influence of Indigenous youth in matters that affect and interest not only their communities but also the country and the world, shows that an optimistic future lies ahead as the baton gets passed to the younger generation and, consequently, optimism also for the survival and strengthening of Colombia’s Indigenous Peoples. Their remarkable resilience and ability to address major contemporary challenges without losing sight of their territories and cultures offers encouragement for the sustainability of ecosystems, advances in peace building, and the recognition of the collective rights of their peoples.

Diana Alexandra Mendoza is a Colombian anthropologist with a Master's in Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, and she is a specialist in Cultural Management. She is associated with the Institute for Development and Peace Studies (INDEPAZ) and IWGIA as an independent researcher. She has extensive experience in individual and collective rights, environment and culture.

This article is part of the 39^th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. The photo above is of an Indigenous activist Funa-ay Claver, a Bontok Igorot, standing alongside Indigenous youth activists and others. They are protesting against the repressive laws and human rights violations suffered through the actions and projects of the Government of the Philippines and other actors against Indigenous Peoples at President Marcos Jr’s national address on 22 July 2024 in Quezon City, Philippines. The photo was taken by Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas and is the cover of The Indigenous World 2025 where this article is featured. Find The Indigenous World 2025 in full here

Notes and references

^[i] National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE). Proyecciones de población municipal por área y pertenencia étnico-racial. https://www.dane.gov.co/index.php/estadisticas-por-tema/demografia-y-poblacion/proyecciones-de-poblacion

^[ii] In Colombia, the Indigenous Reserves are territories collectively owned by the peoples and communities. Once formally constituted, they are imprescriptible, unseizable and unassignable. In some cases, several isolated plots of land are covered by the same reserve title.

^[iii] National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE). (2021). Resultados Pueblos Indígenas. Censo Nacional de Población y Vivienda. https://geoportal.dane.gov.co/geovisores/sociedad/resguardos-cnpv2018/

^[iv] The Permanent Roundtable for Consultation with Indigenous Peoples was created in 1996 by Decree 1397 of the Presidency of the Republic. It is an arena for dialogue between the Indigenous government and the national government, in which programmes and policies concerning Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Rights (ESCR), the right to Prior Consultation and, the constitutional, legal and jurisprudential mandates that protect the Indigenous Peoples of Colombia, in general, are agreed upon. https://www.mpcindigena.org/quienessomos/

^[v] Final Peace Agreement between the National Government and the FARC-EP. (2016). https://www.onic.org.co/images/noticias/2016/08/Cap%C3%ADtulo_%C3%89tnico.pdf

^[vi] Ministry of the Interior. (2022). Presidente Gustavo Petro, sancionó la Ley de la Paz Total. https://www.mininterior.gov.co/noticias/presidente-gustavo-petro-sanciono-la-ley-de-la-paz-total/

^[vii] ILO. (2023). La creación de empleos verdes para los jóvenes indígenas en Colombia. Un estudio sobre sus posibilidades. https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/wcmsp5/groups/public/@americas/@ro-lima/@sro-lima/documents/publication/wcms_874107.pdf">https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/wcmsp5/groups/public/@americas/@ro-lima/@sro-lima/documents/publication/wcms_874107.pdf

^[viii] COP16. Permanent Roundtable for Consultation with Indigenous Peoples. (2024). https://www.mpcindigena.org/cop16/

^[ix] MPC. (2024). Posicionamiento de los Pueblos Indígenas en la COP16. https://www.mpcindigena.org/posicionamiento-cop16/

^[x] Convention on Biological Diversity. Article 8j. Each contracting Party shall respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and promote their wider application with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge, innovations and practices and encourage the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of such knowledge innovations and practices.

^[xi] FILAC. (2024). Juventudes Indígenas lideran estrategia regional para la conservación de la biodiversidad en la COP16. https://www.filac.org/juventudes-indigenas-lideran-estrategia-regional-para-la-conservacion-de-la-biodiversidad-en-la-cop-16/

^[xii] Presidency of the Republic. Decree 1275 of 15 October 2024. https://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=166039

^[xiii] Ombudsman’s Office. Press Release 681/ Bogotá. (12 July 2024). 51 % de casos de reclutamiento conocidos por la Defensoría corresponde a niñas, niños y adolescentes de Pueblos Indígenas. https://www.defensoria.gov.co/-/51-de-casos-de-reclutamiento-conocidos-por-la-defensor%C3%ADa-corresponde-a-ni%C3%B1as-ni%C3%B1os-y-adolescentes-de-pueblos-ind%C3%ADgenas

^[xiv] Diana Quigua. Las juventudes del Cauca: un tejido de voces que resiste a la guerra. Razón Pública, 26 May 2024. https://razonpublica.com/las-juventudes-del-cauca-tejido-voces-resiste-la-guerra/

Tags: Youth, Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Defenders, Conservation