Cultural Barriers in Indigenous Pastoralist Women and Girls’ Access to Justice in Tanzania

By Maanda Ngoitiko Sinyati for Indigenous Debates

Male-dominated decision-making structures and traditional governance systems reinforce gender hierarchies in disputes over land, inheritance, and marriage. For pastoralist women, justice entails being respected, heard, and recognized, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or literacy. It also means protection from violence, secure access to land and livestock, and meaningful participation in decision-making processes that shape community life. The gap between international commitments and lived realities remains profound.

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Statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples

In the context of the 25th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the current Special Rapporteur, Albert Barume, warned of failures to comply with international standards and urged States to recognise Indigenous self-determination. Dr Albert K. Barume also reaffirmed the need to strengthen multilateralism and the sustained advocacy of Indigenous Peoples: “Rights are never granted on a silver platter; they are secured through the efforts of defenders and victims who stand up to violations”.

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IWGIA condemns the cancellation of RightsCon 2026 in Zambia as a blatant attack on human rights defenders, civil society and civic space

The decision preventing RightsCon, widely recognised as the world’s largest summit on human rights and technology, from proceeding in Lusaka, only days before the event was due to begin, is deeply alarming. RightsCon 26 was expected to bring together more than 2,600 participants in person and 1,100 online, representing over 150 countries and 750 institutions. Its cancellation, after more than a year of planning, partnership and preparation with the Zambian Government, is a serious obstruction of one of the world’s most important spaces for dialogue on digital rights, human rights, technology governance, surveillance, data protection, internet access, artificial intelligence, platform accountability and freedom of expression.

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25 years since the establishment of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

BY LOLA GARCÍA-ALIX FOR INDIGENOUS DEBATES

In the face of mounting challenges to the international human rights system, the current Special Rapporteur, Albert Barume, spoke with his predecessors about the importance of the mandate in advancing and protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples. From land rights and self-determination to the impacts of climate change and criminalisation, each Rapporteur’s contribution has left a far-reaching normative and political legacy. Drawing on their experience, they underscored the need to strengthen cooperation among mandates and warned against extractive development models that advance without the free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples.

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Voices from Remote Villages in Kenya: Access to Justice for Indigenous Women and Girls

By Jane Meriwas for Indigenous Debates

Indigenous women in Kenya endure multiple forms of gender-based violence — from brutal female genital mutilation to child marriage and forced beadwork. Reporting abuse is further complicated by geography: the nearest police station may be 120 kilometers away, with no transport and no guarantee of being heard. To confront this reality, the Samburu Women Trust (SWT) established a center to support women in seeking justice. For the first time, women and girls living in remote villages can report cases, document violations, and produce evidence without traveling for days.

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