Prisons and Colonial Continuities: Indigenous Women’s Experiences of Judicial Racism in Mexico

BY AÍDA HERNÁNDEZ CASTILLO & DANIELA MARCIA TREJO BIZARRO FOR INDIGENOUS DEBATES

Prisons and the criminalisation of Indigenous peoples play a central role in the persistence of a colonial project that continues to dispossess Indigenous Peoples of their lands, displace them, and incarcerate the most vulnerable sectors of their communities. The experiences of Indigenous women imprisoned in a high-security federal prison in Mexico illustrate the continuum of violence that shapes their encounters with the State and a racist, patriarchal justice system. These women have developed strategies of resistance by building a sense of community within a space that otherwise fosters competition and distrust among incarcerated women.

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Peacebuilding in the 21 Communities of Teopisca

By María del Carmen Pérez Díaz & Elisa Cruz Rueda for Indigenous Debates 

In the Highlands of Chiapas (Los Altos de Chiapas), in southeastern Mexico, Indigenous communities have developed their own systems of self-governance shaped by a history of forced displacement. Through these processes, they have established shared agreements aimed at preventing violence, resolving conflicts, and strengthening the conditions that make it possible to live with dignity. Peace is understood as a daily practice, built through dialogue and collective responsibility.

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Rehumanising Self-Determination: The Naga Experience and the Limits of State-Centred Peace

BY  AKÜM LONGCHARI AND GAM ANGKANG SHIMRAY FOR INDIGENOUS DEBATES

In the peace process between the Indian state and the Naga people, the suspension of violence has not resulted in a resolution of the underlying conflict. This situation exposes the limitations of peace approaches managed exclusively by the state, as well as of a conception of self-determination reduced to institutional frameworks. The Naga struggle reveals self-determination as a living praxis, grounded in dignity, memory, and collective responsibility.

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A just future beyond fossil fuels: Why the ‘First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels’ matters for Indigenous Peoples’ rights

In April 2026, Santa Marta, Colombia, will host the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels a global gathering aimed at advancing concrete and just pathways to phase out oil, coal and gas while accelerating the shift towards equitable, low-carbon economies. Co-organised by Colombia and the Netherlands, the conference builds on political momentum generated at COP30 in Belém, Brazil. There, 24 countries reacted to the fact that the main decision – the Mutirão decision – omitted any direct reference to fossil fuels, reflecting opposition from several producer countries and persistent divisions among negotiating blocs. In response, these countries issued the Belém Declaration on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels, calling for coordinated and collective action among states to expedite the phase-out of fossil fuels and to anchor climate action in science-based and rights-based approaches.

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The Challenges of Peaceful Coexistence among Pastoralist Communities in Kenya

By Malih Ole Kaunga for Indigenous Debates

British colonial rule disrupted the way of life of Indigenous communities by dispossessing them of their fertile lands, imposing foreign systems of governance, introducing borders and criminalizing their itinerant lifestyles. Today, infrastructure, oil exploration, and conservation in pastoral territories exacerbate conflicts and undermine daily life by failing to respect their territorial rights and self-determination. Experience shows that sustainable peace is achieved through robust community institutions, mutual respect, and the strengthening of autonomy.

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