IWGIA participated in the first part of the 65th session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ in Gambia (21/10-10/11) and participated in a side-event on how to strengthen the voice of indigenous peoples and communities in Africa and in the ACHPR. We also supported a member of the
On Friday 9 August, the world marks the International Day of Indigenous Peoples. The day celebrates the significant progress and achievements worldwide for indigenous peoples and their rights.
København – 29. juli: I sidste uge blev en 68-årige leder af Waiãpa folket fundet død i en flod nær hans landsby i det nordlige Brasilien. Drabet skete samtidig med, at omkring 50 guldgravere – heraf nogle svært bevæbnet – er blevet spottet i Waiãpernes lukkede reservat. Drabet er et nyt
Emyra Waiãpi, a 68-year-old indigenous leader, was stabbed to death last week as around 50 gold miners, a dozen of whom were heavily armed, entered the remote Waiãpi indigenous reserve in the northern Brazilian state of Amapá, which borders French Guiana, reported multiple Brazilian and
pubThe world today faces many challenges: a global climate and biodiversity crisis, rising inequality, shrinking civic space in many countries, and increasing distrust in international institutions and national political systems. Indigenous peoples make up five percent of the world’s population
The global rush for natural resources is one of the biggest threats against indigenous peoples’ as they often live in remote areas which are still rich on natural resources. Unfortunately, indigenous peoples are increasingly being criminalised – or even killed – when defending their rights. In
The report on the current state of Indigenous Peoples’ Lands, Territories and Resources (LTR) was prepared by the Indigenous Peoples Major Group (IPMG) to inform the implementation of global commitments to Sustainable Development and the various related processes for transformational change. It
Rising tensions between states and indigenous peoples are reaching a tipping point, and with an ever-shrinking civic space worldwide, the topics of criminalisation of Indigenous Rights Defenders’ activities and their organisations; land rights issues; and access to justice are more important
Press release: On 24 April 2019, at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York, IWGIA will release The Indigenous World 2019, an extensive, one-of-a-kind yearbook presenting a comprehensive, global overview of the developments indigenous peoples’ experience.
On 23 March 2019, more than 150 Fulani pastoralists were killed in their village in Ogossagou in Mopti region in central Mali. The attack started at dawn and was carried out with guns and machetes in a brutal manner. Men and women, young and old were killed, and the victims included many
María Lourdes Alcántara, antropóloga y coordinadora del Grupo de Apoyo a la juventud Guaraní de Mato Grosso del Sur (GAPK/AJI) y profesora de antropología medica en la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de São Paulo, reflexiona sobre las principales amenazas para los pueblos indígenas en
Informes alternativos para el 3er Ciclo del Examen Periódico Universal del Estado de Chile: principales afectaciones a los derechos humanos referidas a Naciones Originarias, personas migrantes, niñez y adolescencia, sexualidades y géneros, violencia institucional y derechos
At least 43 percent of the 7,000 languages spoken in the world today are endangered. Many of these belong to indigenous peoples and if something doesn't change soon, UNESCO predicts that we will lose as many as 3,000 indigenous languages by the end of this century. In an effort to raise public
Recent reports by UN experts and human rights organisations document an alarming increase in violent attacks against and criminalisation of indigenous peoples defending their rights to their traditional lands and natural resources.
The solidarity statement in favour of recognising the Cek Bocek community as an indigenous people made by the participants at Asia Peoples Pact’s IPHRD Exchange held November 2018 in Indonesia.
Millions of people may soon become trespassers on their own land due to a newly amended land use law in Myanmar. The Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Land Management Law covers almost a third of the country’s territory, most of which is located in traditional indigenous/ethnic areas. IWGIA is greatly
Human rights defenders are dying, attacked and criminalized all over the world. This is happening at an increasingly alarming rate. In 2017, over 400 people were killed while protecting their community’s land or natural resources. Approximately half of these were indigenous peoples. The
I 2017 blev over 400 miljø- og menneskerettighedsforkæmpere dræbt og heraf er cirka halvdelen oprindelige folk. I anledning af IWGIA's 50års jubilæum sætter IWGIA's administrerende direktør Julie Koch fokus på den stigende kriminalisering af oprindelige folk.
IWGIA and Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) has together submitted this statement to draw attention to the worsening cases of violence against indigenous women at the UNSCW committee. Read the full statement in the following part.
2018 er året hvor International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) kan fejre 50 års jubilæum i vores forsvar af oprindelige folks rettigheder. På denne side kan du finde flere informationer af, hvad vi har opnået og hvilke trusler som oprindelige folk står overfor den dag i
This year the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) celebrates 50 years of defending indigenous peoples' rights and we want to share with you some of the facts we are proud of and some of the issues that affect the world's 370 million indigenous peoples.
One day in March 2018, indigenous human rights activist and former member of United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), Joan Carling, woke up to the news that she had been placed on a terrorist list by the Duterte administration in the Philippines, together with over 600
In the Far East of Russia, the indigenous Udege people have for decades fought to protect their land with support from IWGIA. In July, their long struggle was finally rewarded as an area nearly four times the size of Yosemite National Park has been awarded World Heritage Status.
IWGIA fully supports the press release published by the Indigenous Peoples Major Group that strongly condemns the persistent and gross human rights violations committed in Colombia and express solidarity with the indigenous peoples in the country.
The 9th of August is the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples and this page provides a brief overview of the most important international agreements related to indigenous peoples and some general facts about indigenous peoples.
In July 2018, The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) had its 11th session and IWGIA was present and made a statement about the worrying tendencies of an increased criminalization of indigenous environmental and human rights defenders. Read the full statement in this
The Indigenous World 2018 finds that one of the biggest global threats against indigenous peoples is land-grabbing. Indigenous peoples in Nepal are experiencing this first hand as their livelihood is threatened when they are evicted from their ancestors’ land due to large-scale investments and
The rising tensions between states and indigenous peoples are reaching a tipping point and The Indigenous World 2018 adds to the documented records, highlighting the increase in attacks and killings of indigenous peoples while defending their lands. The
Indigenous leaders and UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Ms. Tauli-Corpuz have been put on a terror list, issued by Philippines State Prosecutor, February 21st.
Knowledge generation is an important foundation for increasing understanding and for pushing for change. In this database, you can find all of our resources, which include books, manuals, briefings, human rights reports and urgent alerts.
In 2003, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) established the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities in Africa (WGIP) with the responsibility to advise the Commission on matters relating to the rights of indigenous populations/communities on the continent. In
UPDATES FROM THE WORKING GROUP ON INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS IN AFRICA
NOVEMBER 2017 / ISSUE 1
The Voice of the Indigenous is an annual e-newsletter of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities (WGIP) of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the
The negotiations of the Paris Rule Book are critical to ensuring that the promises made in the Paris Agreement will be met – including the commitment of governments to respect, protect, and take into consideration existing human rights obligations.
This yearbook gives a comprehensive update on the current situation of indigenous peoples and their human rights situation across the world, and offers an overview of the most significant developments in international and regional processes relating to indigenous peoples during
Standing tall, head held high, her dignity on full display. That’s the image of an empowered indigenous woman confronting discrimination and violence, saying “enough is enough” to the tragic impact of extractive industries and other development projects in her ancestral territories. The play of
You have to look a bit before you will find it. But on page 33 in the new Danish development strategy you will find indigenous peoples rights as a key priority in the human rights area. The new strategy has been adopted by all the parties in the Danish
Indigenous women and girls are the most vulnerable group in Bangladesh. They face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination due to their gender, ethnicity, language, religion, class and geographic location.
This briefing note call attention to the ongoing situation of harassments and arbitrary arrests of human rights defenders in Loliondo in northern Tanzania.It offers an account of the recent events taking place in the area and background information. IWGIA believes that these developments are a
This urgent alert is based on the forceful evictions of Maasai pastoralists from their homes and grazing lands in Loliondo Division, Ngorongoro District in Northern Tanzania and the gross human rights violations that are being committed. The eviction operation started on the 4th July 2009 and
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) addresses in this report State obligations with regard to extraction, exploitation, and development activities concerning natural resources. Through the implementation of its monitoring mechanisms, the Commission has consistently received
This yearbook gives a global update on the current situation of indigenous peoples and their human rights and provides an overview of the main developments that have affected indigenous women and men in the course of 2015. In 54 country specific reports and 12 articles on international
This book is dedicated to all the indigenous tribal women and men of India who have sacrificed their lives to protect 'Mother Earth', indigenous identity and culture; to martyrs of the freedom movement; to the thousands of innocent women, men and children who are victims of violence in the
Written by Robert K. Hitchcock, Ben Begbie-Clench & Ashton Murwira
This report looks at the situation of the Tshwa San living in western Zimbabwe. Information on this small indigenous minority group has so far been limited. Due to unique social and cultural barriers, the Tshwa face
In the Philippines, diversity within commonality among indigenous peoples is in itself a very complicated situation. Moreover, indigenous peoples understand their rights enshrined in laws more as violations than enjoyment, while local State authorities find difficulty in bridging the gap of
In early 2013, a working group under the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights undertook research on the human rights situation of indigenous peoples in Tanzania. For the duration of two weeks, a delegation formed by the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities met with
Seven years after the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, The Indigenous World 2015 looks at the most significant developments and setbacks for indigenous peoples’ rights at the national and international level during the previous year and at indigenous peoples’
In early 2015, Maasai and Datoga citizens living in the Morogoro region of Tanzania were victims of deadly, ethnic violence. According to reports from local media, the assaults were instigated by public figures interested in acquiring land, and state authorities have not intervened to protect
The book addresses cases from each of these continents, examining the experiences of Indigenous peoples with access to remedy when their human rights are affected by corporate activities. By drawing from these experiences it seeks to inform the actions of corporate and State actors in relation
The present study aims to assess the poverty levels of the various indigenous groups in Nepal. It was developed to address the lack of existing disaggregated data and statistics on the socio-economic status of Nepal’s many indigenous groups. By presenting data on a broad set of socio-economic
La Commission africaine des droits de l’homme et des peuples (CADHP), qui est l’organe de l’Union Africaine en charge des droits humains, s’occupe de la situation des droits humains des populations autochtones depuis 1999. Ces populations font partie des groupes les plus vulnérables du
This diverse collection of essays and articles emerged from a workshop held in Oslo in March 2012, hosted by the Norwegian Center for Human Rights and the University of Oslo. The purpose of the workshop was to gather memories of how the international community had decided to examine the
This handbook provides comprehensive step-by-step instructions on how to document human rights violations, particularly indigenous peoples’ collective rights, and use the data gathered for advocacy.
This book includes 20 case studies of World Heritage sites from around the world and relevant background articles. The case studies explore and document, from a human rights perspective, indigenous peoples’ experiences with World Heritage sites and with the processes of the World Heritage
Women – both indigenous and non-indigenous – have actively engaged in international and national REDD+ processes to raise their concerns regarding the potential negative impact of REDD+ on women, and to assert their right to equally participate in negotiations, planning and implementation of
This report examines the human rights situation of the 41 indigenous peoples living in the Northern and Asian territories of the Russian Federation. While their historical homelands account for two-thirds of the territory of contemporary Russia, these people number a little over 250,000
Indigenous peoples constitute 5 % of the world’s population but 15 % of the world’s poor. They make up around 1/3 of the world’s extremely poor rural population. Many lack access to, control over and suffer pollution of their water resources, severely damaging their health, livelihood and
The universal Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the post-2015 development agenda are crucial for indigenous peoples as they will determine the direction of global sustainability and development efforts over the coming decade. Indigenous peoples make up more than 370 million people
Many of the areas of highest biological diversity on the planet are inhabited by indigenous peo¬ples. The current and accelerating climatic and environmental changes threaten indigenous peo¬ples’ basis for existence around the world. The post-2015 development agenda offers a unique opportunity
: Recommendations for the Full Respect of their Human Rights
Prepared by the Rapporteurship on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the Inter-America Commission on Human Rights The western hemisphere is home to the largest number of indigenous peoples living in
This report is the result of a monitoring visit to assess IWGIA’s support to promoting and defending indigenous peoples’ rights in the new constitution and beyond. Indigenous peoples in Nepal, known as adivasi janajati, have for centuries experienced systematic discrimination and
In June 2011, the UN Human Rights Council unanimously endorsed the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP). These principles form the first globally-agreed framework for preventing and addressing adverse human rights impacts linked to business activities. While the UNGP do not
This discussion paper traces the evolution of the concept of indigenous peoples in the UN system and aims at giving a better understanding of why the concept of indigenous peoples is relevant in an Asian context. Due to the lack of a definition of ‘indigenous peoples’ and the fact that the
This report examines selected cases of violence against women and girls in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in 2011 and 2012. It also discusses relevant legal contexts and, based on four key principles, provides recommendations to the government and civil society to address violence against
The 2014 edition contains a comprehensive update on the current situation of indigenous peoples in 73 articles written by indigenous and non-indigenous scholars and activists.
The book provides 58 country reports and 15 articles on international processes, reflecting ongoing worldwide
Professor of Law, Gudmundur Alfredsson writes about the first edition of Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Africa: "It is not only a first-class academic presentation but also a practical one, including a series of conclusions and recommendations that are highly relevant to any
This report on the Southeast Asia Consultation on Development, Access to Justice and the Human Rights of Indigenous women is intended as a material to be used by indigenous women, advocates, policy-makers and the public for the promotion, protection and respect of the rights of indigenous women
This guide is a tool for advocacy work and community actions. It focuses on the Asian Development Bank Safeguard Policy Statement of 2009 (ADB 2009 SPS) particularly its safeguard requirements for Indigenous Peoples. In addition, it features the ADB Accountability Mechanism of 2012 and contains
This briefing paper is prepared as part of the advocacy of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) for the respect, protection and recognition of the human rights of indigenous women. In this paper, the focus is on access to justice for indigenous women in Southeast Asia facing
The briefing paper analyses how gender relations in Asian indigenous societies have undergone and continue to undergo changes in response to external factors. Finally it draws conclusions and recommendations based on addressing problems through empowering indigenous women in traditional
This briefing note, published by the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) and Forest Peoples Programme, is intended to develop discussion and thought about the complexity of the challenges of violence against indigenous women and girls. Work being done by indigenous women’s organisations in Asia
Two-thirds of the approximate 370 million self-identified indigenous peoples are in Asia, enriching the region’s enormous cultural and linguistic diversity. They have strong cultural attachment to and livelihood dependence on land, forests and waters, and the natural resources therein. They
This briefing paper describes the term 'Indigenous Peoples'. Over the past decades, the concept of Indigenous Peoples has evolved beyond the original meaning still found in dictionaries, and it is now well established in international law. That is why we are writing it with capital initial
Este trabalho foi resultado de um estudo interdisciplinar e intercultural realizado para o UNICEF que tinha o objetivo de fazer uma primeira analise dos casos de suicídio indígena na America Latina. Resolveu-se escolher três casos paradigmáticos de estudo por várias razões: 1-ser de caráter
Os Awá-Guajá são um dos últimos grupos caçadores-coletores do planeta. Embora ainda existam alguns Awá não contatados, sua maior parte vive em quatro “Terras Indígenas” sob a proteção da FUNAI (Fundação Nacional do Índio) no estado do Maranhão (Brasil) Isto, no entanto, não impede que sejam
Pastoralists in Tanzania are suffering from many human rights violations, including forced evictions from their lands. This report gives a comprehensive analysis of the human rights situation of indigenous peoples in Tanzania, and documents cases of human rights violations against Maasai
This book offers a detailed insight into the situation of indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation in South America. It looks into the threats and challenges that indigenous peoples face and offers a rich source of demographic and ethnographic information regarding indigenous peoples in
This note is based on the sixth of the UN Development Group Global Thematic Consultations on Food Security and Nutrition. A High-Level Consultation on Food Security and Nutrition was co-led by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP.)
This yearbook contains a comprehensive update on the current situation of indigenous peoples and their human rights, and provides an overview of the most important developments in international and regional processes during 2012.
In 67 articles, indigenous and non-indigenous scholars
This collection of photos is part of a project that aims at raising awareness about and creating understanding for the situation of indigenous youth living in cities by offering young indigenous city dwellers a virtual and visual forum for intercontinental and intergenerational exchange. The
L’adoption de la Déclaration des droits des peuples autochtones par l’Assemblée générale des Nations unies, le 13 septembre 2007, fut un événement très attendu par l’ensemble des organisations autochtones dont les représentants avaient participé à sa négociation durant plus de vingt ans. Elle
This report describes pilot research conducted by the Samburu Women Trust (SWT), formerly known as SWEEDO), a community based organization located in Nanyuki, Kenya. The research focused on a practice known as “beading,” which can be briefly described as a community-sanctioned, non-marital
The purpose of this Report, which has as background the recent events concerning the acts of police violence and criminalization of the territorial claims of the Rapa Nui peoples which occurred in the years 2010 and 2011, is to assess the human rights situation of the Rapa Nui people. This
Cette publication donne un aperçu des présentations faites lors du séminaire régional de sensibilisation organisé par le Groupe de travail de la Commission africaine sur les populations/communautés autochtones en République du Congo du 22 au 25 août 2011. Un des objectifs de ce séminaire était
This publication gives an overview of the presentations made at the regional sensitization seminar organized by the African Commission’s Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities in the republic of Congo on 22 to 25 August 2011. One of the objectives of the seminar was to inform key
In Africa, indigenous peoples are mainly different groups of hunter-gatherers and pastoralists. Their culture and way of life differ considerably from the dominant society. The survival of their particular way of life depends on access and rights to their traditional land and resources.
IWGIA - International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs - is a global human rights organisation dedicated to promoting, protecting and defending indigenous peoples’ rights. Read more.
Indigenous World
IWGIA's global report, the Indigenous World, provides an update of the current situation for indigenous peoples worldwide. Read The Indigenous World.