The Indigenous World 2026: Laos

Written on 22 April 2026. Posted in Laos

With a population of some 7.6 million,^[1] the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR or Laos) is the most ethnically diverse country in mainland Southeast Asia.^[2] The ethnic Lao, comprising around half of the population, dominate the country economically and culturally. There are, however, some provinces and districts where the number of Indigenous people exceeds that of the Lao and where their culture is prominent. There are four ethnolinguistic families in Laos; Lao-Tai language-speaking groups represent two-thirds of the population. The other third speaks languages belonging to the Mon-Khmer, Sino-Tibetan and Hmong-Ew-Hmien families and they are considered to be the Indigenous Peoples of Laos. Officially, all ethnic groups have equal status in Laos, and the concept of Indigenous Peoples is not recognised by the government, despite the fact that Laos voted in favour of adopting the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The Lao government uses the term ethnic group to refer to Indigenous people.

The Lao government currently recognises 160 ethnic sub-groups within 50 ethnic groups. Indigenous Peoples, especially those who speak Hmong-Ew-Hmien languages, are unequivocally the most vulnerable groups in Laos. They face territorial, economic, cultural and political pressures and experience various threats to their livelihoods. Their land and resources are increasingly under pressure from pro-investment government development policies and commercial natural resource exploitation. Indigenous people lag behind the majority Lao-Tai at all economic levels. They have more limited access to healthcare, lower rates of education, and less access to clean water and sanitation. 45.6% of the population belonging to Mon-Khmer and 17.8% belonging to Hmong-Ew-Hmien groups are residing in rural areas without road access.^[3]

Laos ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) in 1974, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1981, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in 2009. However, the Lao government severely restricts fundamental rights, including freedom of speech (media), association, assembly and religion, and civil society is closely controlled. Organisations openly focusing on the plight of Indigenous Peoples or using related terms in the Lao language are thus not allowed, while open discussions about Indigenous Peoples with the government can be sensitive, especially since the issue is seen as pertaining to special (human) rights.

In late 2025, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) assessed Laos’ implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). In what amounts to international acknowledgement of systemic limitations affecting Indigenous communities, the Committee explicitly noted issues arising from non-recognition of Indigenous status. 

This article is part of the 40^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. Find The Indigenous World 2026 in full here

Peace and security in Lao PDR

Laos is a paradigmatic case of the prioritization of East Asian security policy. The political environment in Lao PDR shapes how peace and security is discussed, interpreted, and implemented. Laos has a centralized governance structure, with the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) guiding the functions of government, the judiciary, the military, and the media. The government focuses, primarily, on traditional state-centric conceptualizations of security, and top-down, macroeconomic models and mega-projects to develop the country out of insecurity.^[4]

Historically, the peace process in Laos has been a complex and multifaceted journey that reflects the country's tumultuous history and the aspirations of its people for stability and development. The Lao government has engaged in various initiatives aimed at fostering dialogue among different political factions and with Indigenous Peoples toward cultural reconciliation and the forging of a cohesive national identity and has made concerted efforts to promote a unified national identity while respecting the cultural diversity of its ethnic groups.^[5]

The Lao regulatory environment for civil society/international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) is tightly controlled; explicit peace advocacy is often framed within development, gender and governance work. National security is seen as the purview of the government, and a key pillar of the government’s development plan is “stability”. For these reasons, the term security is usually translated as “stability”. For instance, the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs translates Women, Peace and Security (WPS) as “Women, Peace and Stability”.^[6]

This requires a cautious and strategic approach by international agencies and CSOs and other actors working on peace-related issues. Peacebuilding efforts supported by INGOs are thus typically implemented under terminology of community empowerment and resilience, conflict prevention, rights awareness, and social cohesion, all of which are related to peacebuilding, even if not labelled as such.

2025 marked the 75^th anniversary of the Lao Front for National Development (LFND), a nationwide mass organization^[7] that unifies and mobilizes society to support development, stability, and ethnic harmony in Laos, and the 50^th anniversary of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). The LFND plays a crucial role in the socio-political landscape of Laos, including involvement in ethnic minority and Indigenous affairs and being in charge of religious affairs.

In July, Laos organized the Lao Ethnic Cultural Festival to showcase the unity and cultural harmony of its 50 ethnic groups in celebration of the 75^th anniversary of the Lao Front for National Development (LFND). It aimed to promote unity and solidarity among Laos' 50 ethnic groups while preserving and showcasing their unique customs, traditions, music, literature, and everyday life.^[8] This event was not simply a folklorization of Indigenous cultures within a socialist context of state oversight but allowed for creative appropriation, reflecting the active agency of Indigenous Peoples through cultural performances. Meanwhile, in January, Oudomxay province launched its own Ethnic Traditional Festival with the aim of promoting tourism; there are nine Indigenous groups in the province, including the Hmong, Khmu, Bid, Lamed, Lu mien, Akha, Phounoy and Hor. ^[9]

In March, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam approved a program of training and knowledge-sharing on ethnic affairs for Lao and Cambodian officials. It aims to contribute to enhancing the capacity of Lao and Cambodian officials when performing their duties and responsibilities and increasing effective cooperation on ethnic affairs between the two countries and Vietnam. Each year, the program will also organize exchange activities and experience-sharing between representatives of influential organisations among the Indigenous Peoples living along Vietnam’s borders with Laos and Cambodia.^[10]

Human rights status

In May, the UN Human Rights Council reviewed Laos’ human rights record under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process. Member states commended Lao authorities for engaging constructively in the review process, showing their willingness to participate in international dialogue on human rights.^[11] Several recommendations from member states explicitly addressed issues affecting Indigenous and ethnic minority communities, including concerns about forced relocations and the protection of Indigenous groups — indicating that these issues are recognized at the international level. New Zealand, for instance, especially recommended legislation on the recognition and protection of Indigenous Peoples.^[12]

This has led to a cautious and strategic approach by international agencies and CSOs and other actors working on peace-related issues. The Lao regulatory environment for civil society/INGOs is tightly controlled; explicit peace advocacy is often framed within development, gender and governance work. INGOs typically implement programs that build stability and community resilience, and which are peace-relevant even if not labelled as traditional peacebuilding. Because formal peacebuilding is sensitive in Laos, international peace work often aligns with human security, women’s empowerment, governance, legal access and community resilience, which contribute to a peaceful, stable society.

Consequently, peacebuilding and peace-oriented projects in Laos that involve Indigenous Peoples and local communities operate under community empowerment, conflict prevention, rights awareness, and social cohesion.

The reintroduction of 640 sub-districts nationwide

A recent constitutional amendment, promulgated in March 2025, included changes that signified steps toward a decentralization of governance. Local governments are currently responsible for formulating and implementing their own development, budget, and security plans. The change will see the reintroduction of sub-districts, known as “Ta Saeng”, as part of a nationwide administrative restructuring aimed at improving local governance and public service accessibility. This move, introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), was expected to establish approximately 640 sub-districts across the country by mid-2025.^[13]

Under the new framework, sub‑districts will take over key administrative responsibilities previously handled by village authorities, including public service delivery, local planning, and implementation of state policies. Each sub‑district will be governed by a committee, supported by administrative staff overseeing daily operations. In addition to their administrative responsibilities, sub-districts will focus on four main areas: governance, economic planning, cultural development, and national security.^[14] In parallel, villages will shift to a community‑focused role, concentrating on cultural preservation, social affairs, community cohesion, and local security. This separation is intended to professionalize public administration and streamline governance.^[15] If committee leadership and membership are mainly appointed by the state without transparent mechanisms for Indigenous inclusion, the reform may not offer meaningful improvement for Indigenous voices — and could reinforce centralized control at the local level rather than genuine community representation, inadvertently marginalizing Indigenous governance in a shift from informal Indigenous village authority to formal sub-district committees.

Infrastructure development

In April 2025, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone reiterated Laos’ ambitious target for the energy and mining sector aimed at increasing its contribution to 25% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030.^[16] Meanwhile, on 28 February, the Lao Ministry of Energy and Mines temporarily suspended the issuance of new mining licenses in order to improve the regulations governing the trade of minerals and mineral products.^[17] Many large-scale projects in mining and energy are committed to operational excellence and sustainable growth and some have made considerable economic contributions to Laos. However, many projects authorized or inaugurated in 2025 are located in areas inhabited by, and with substantial impacts on, Indigenous communities and may have a negative impact on the livelihoods and social cohesion of these communities.

On 28 November 2025, Laos celebrated the successful launch of Monsoon Wind Power, the country’s first and Southeast Asia’s largest wind farm. The USD 930 million project features 133 fully-installed turbines spread over 68,000 hectares across Dakcheung district in Xekong province and Sanxay district in Attapeu province. The project extends over land belonging to 31 Indigenous communities, mostly populated by Banharic-speaking groups of the Mon-Khmer ethnolinguistic family. The project is planned to produce 600 MW of clean energy, which will be exported to Vietnam under a 25-year power purchase agreement with Vietnam Electricity (EVN). The power transmission will use a 500 kV line. Despite the project developers’ efforts and their support of community development initiatives, over a thousand grievance cases have been filed relating to soil erosion, disputes over boundary issues for expected compensation, impacts on culturally significant areas, forest sanctuaries, cemeteries, etc. ^[18]

At the Lao-Vietnam Investment Promotion Conference 2025 in Vientiane on 03 December, Laos and Vietnam unveiled plans for their first joint railway, set to connect the landlocked nation of Laos to Vietnam’s Vung Ang Port. The railway, spanning 452 kilometers within Laos will facilitate the transport of goods between China, Laos, Vietnam, and further into mainland ASEAN.

Laos and Vietnam have also signed a concession agreement to start construction of the second 203.8-kilometer section of the Vientiane Hanoi highway.^[19] While both projects promise to significantly reduce transport costs, strengthen supply chains and improve regional efficiency, they may potentially have a substantial impact on Indigenous communities’ livelihoods, and interrupt access to sacred sites, burial grounds, and traditional landscape features since there are persistent concerns that Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes are either inadequate or not meaningfully implemented.^[20]

There may be a glimmer of hope because, while FPIC is not yet embedded in the national regulatory framework or has not yet become a comprehensive statutory requirement for all decisions affecting ethnic and Indigenous communities nationwide, in 2025 it was formally recognized in practice and this symbolizes a tremendous achievement for the Indigenous Peoples. The approval in September of Promoting the right of Lao peoples’ Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in land-use rights in forest areas by the Director General of the Department of Forestry and the Head of the Department of Ethnicity of the Lao Front for National Development (LFND) made FPIC a standard procedure to be followed by all government departments and projects, supporting recognition of the land tenure rights of 2,958 villages that are home to some one million Indigenous people inside forestland, providing opportunities for Indigenous Peoples’ empowerment in unprecedented ways.^[21],[22]

Steeve Daviau is an anthropologist. He has been working on Indigenous Peoples’ issues in Laos for 25 years. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This article is part of the 40^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. Find The Indigenous World 2026 in full here

Notes and references

^[1] Lao Statistical Information Services. https://laosis.lsb.gov.la/majorIndicators.do?paramGrpId=all

^[2] Open Development Laos. https://laos.opendevelopmentmekong.net/topics/ethnic-minorities-and-indigenous-people/

^[3] Report: The 7^th Household Expenditure and Consumption Survey (LECSVII) Year 2024/2025. https://laosis.lsb.gov.la/board/BoardList.do?bbs_bbsid=B404

^[4] Howe, B. (2023). The nature of Lao security challenges. Asian Affairs, An American Review, Volume 50, 2023 - Issue 4. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00927678.2023.2253706

^[5] Understanding the Peace Process in Laos. Mexico Historico. https://www.mexicohistorico.com/paginas/understanding-the-peace-process-in-laos-304c26e8.html

^[6] Securing Women’s Peace: A Political Economy Analysis of Women, Peace and Security in ASEAN, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and the Philippines. The Asia Foundation: 2025. https://asiafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/PEAWPSFinalComp.pdf

^[7]Civil Society Analysis (Summary), Country Partnership Strategy: Lao PDR, 2012–2016. https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/linked-documents/cps-lao-2012-2016-oth-02.pdf

^[8] Ethnic festival showcases rich cultural diversity of Laos. The Star: 8 July 2025. https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2025/07/08/ethnic-festival-showcases-rich-cultural-diversity-of-laos

^[9] Oudomxay Launches Ethnic Traditional Festival to Promote Tourism in 2025. The Laotian Times: 17 January 2025, https://laotiantimes.com/2025/01/17/oudomxay-launches-ethnic-traditional-festival-to-promote-tourism-in-2025/

^[10] Newly-adopted program provides training on ethnic affairs for Lao, Cambodian officials. Lao News Agency: 4 March 2025. https://kpl.gov.la/EN/detail.aspx?id=89781

^[11] Lao Delegation Highlights Achievements at UN Human Rights Council Review. Lao News Agency: 5 May 2025. https://kpl.gov.la/EN/detail.aspx?id=91140

^[12] United Nations Human Rights Council. Universal Periodic Review – Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Fourth Cycle. Date of consideration: 29 April 2025. https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/la-index

^[13] Sitthixay, P. Laos to reintroduce Sub-Districts in Nationwide Administrative Reform. The Laotian Times: 28 January 2025. https://laotiantimes.com/2025/01/28/laos-to-reintroduce-sub-districts-in-nationwide-administrative-reform/

^[14] Ibid.

^[15] Laos: Major Overhaul of Local Governance with 640 New Sub-districts Launched. HKTDC Research: 15 December 2025. https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/MjE5NDg4Njg3Nw

^[16] Laos Sets Ambitious Targets for Energy, Mining Sector. Laotian Times: 3 April 2025. https://laotiantimes.com/2025/04/03/laos-sets-ambitious-targets-for-energy-mining-sector/

^[17] Mining License Issuance Suspended Pending Regulation Improvements. The Laotian Times: 5 March 2025. https://laotiantimes.com/2025/03/05/mining-license-issuance-suspended-pending-regulation-improvements/

^[18] Lao PDR Monsoon Wind Power Project, Quarterly Environmental and Social monitoring Report, July-September 2024. Uploaded on 2 May 2025. https://www.monsoonwindasia.com/application/files/6517/4617/3839/Monsoon_Wind_Power_Project_-_Environmental_and_Social_Monitoring_Report_July-September_2024.pdf#page=87&zoom=100,68,96

^[19] Work to Start on Vientiane-Hanoi Expressway Section Two, Completion Expected by 2030. Laotian Times: 16 October 2025. https://laotiantimes.com/2025/10/16/work-to-start-on-vientiane-hanoi-expressway-section-two-completion-expected-by-2030/

^[20] See Shoemaker, B., & Robichaud, W. (Eds.). (2018). Dead in the water: Global lessons from the World Bank's model hydropower project in Laos. University of Wisconsin Press. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328566562_Dead_in_the_Water_The_World_Bank's_Model_Hydropower_Project_in_Laos

^[21] The FPIC Manual, along with another manual on gender equality, supports the Procedure Guideline (PG) prepared by three government departments under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) and supported by various stakeholders, including VRI, RECOFT, MRLG, LLL, etc. It presents the principles, regulations, methodology, steps, criteria, and technical aspects related to land tenure recognition inside forest land, in accordance with national laws and regulations.

^[22] Based on the 2015 census, there were 970,660 Indigenous people from the Mon-Khmer, Sino-Tibetan and Hmong-Ew-Hmien ethnolinguistic groups.

Tags: Global governance