The compilation you have in your hands is the unique result of a collaborative effort between Indigenous and non-indigenous activists and scholars who voluntarily document and report on the situation of Indigenous Peoples’ rights. We thank them and celebrate the bonds and sense of community that result from the close cooperation needed to make this one-of-a kind documentation tool available. Fo...

This special edition of Indigenous Debates presents articles that address climate policy from a decolonizing perspective, focusing on the voices and proposals of Indigenous Peoples. The articles, written by Indigenous an non-Indigenous activists, advocates and academics, explore initiatives led by different Indigenous collectives to address climate challenges. The leading ...

The first Arctic Peoples’ Conference was convened in Copenhagen in 1973 by Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations and representatives, the University of Copenhagen and IWGIA. From November 22nd to 25th, 40 delegates representing 21 organizations of Indigenous Peoples from Arctic Canada, Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), and Sápmi (Finland, Norway and Sweden) participated in this groundbreaking and suc...

2023 marked the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which has been essential for Indigenous Peoples’ rights worldwide as it offers a universal legal framework that underscores the fundamental values of equality, non-discrimination and justice. In 2007, the UN General Assembly adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which was Ind...

In Southeast Asia, the surge and intensification of climate-related disasters compounded by alarming levels of environmental degradation and land violations caused by development aggression (such as mining, logging, agribusiness plantations, so-called ‘green’ energy projects, mega-dams, and infrastructure) result in immense harm to the sustainability of ecosystems, carbon sinks and biodiversit...

This submission by the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) covers major issues affecting the human rights of Indigenous Peoples in India and provides recommendations to the UN Human Rights Committee for its 141st Session (1-23 July 2024) to ensure the protection of Indigenous Peoples´ rights in India. 

The Indigenous World is the unique result of a collaborative effort between Indigenous and non-indigenous activists and scholars who voluntarily document and report on the situation of Indigenous Peoples’ rights. This yearly overview serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced throughout 2023. The Indigenous World 2024 includes a special focus on In...

The Indigenous Navigator is a unique and innovative tool implemented by and for Indigenous Peoples. It provides reliable and comparable data across countries and regions about Indigenous Peoples, their rights and needs.

At all levels, in all regions of the world, Indigenous Peoples face systemic, colonial barriers to their right to self-determination. This injustice is also evident in the multilateral sphere, where decisions are taken almost exclusively by the governments of multilaterally recognised nation-states. Such is the case of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which does ...

This is a joint submission to the UPR working group of the Human Rights Council by the “Coalition of Indigenous Peoples Organizations on UPR”, formed in June 2012 by 30 Indigenous Peoples Organisations (IPOs) working on the human rights of Indigenous Peoples in Bangladesh.

Submission: Views from Parties and non-Party stakeholders on the elements for the consideration of outputs component of the first Global Stocktake - September 2023

The world opened up in 2022 as the effects of COVID-19 abated and humanity’s protection against the virus increased but it also began to grapple with a number of other factors that led to 2022 being, in many ways, a more difficult year than 2021. Russia’s war on Ukraine and a food crisis of unprecedented proportions, alongside prolonged and deadly droughts and the other effects of climate chan...

Tourism is one of the biggest global industries today. In 2021, travel and tourism direct contribution to GDP worldwide was approximately 5.8 billion US dollars. Promoted by most countries in the world, tourism is perceived as a direct source of foreign currency and generator of jobs at the local level. But the development of mass tourism, concentrated in a few multinational companies, ...

The purpose of this report is to produce data and insights about the way in which Brazil is applying the international rules included in the International Labour Organization Indigenous and Tribal PeoplesConvention, 1989 (No. 169); United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007, as well as other relevant human rights documents. Its main source is the qualitative and quantitat...

The Nepal-Upper Trishuli–1 (216 MW) Hydroelectric Project, sponsored by the Nepal Water and Energy Development Company, is adversely affecting the Tamang Indigenous Peoples of Rasuwa, which the Government of Nepal recognizes as “Indigenous Peoples,” as do the core project lenders – namely the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Asian Infrastr...

Indigenous Peoples have a deep connection with aquatic ecosystems and resources. For fishing-dependent indigenous communities, fishing is not just an occupation and fish is not just a commodity. Fisheries are the basis for – and an integral element of - their cultures, spiritual beliefs, traditional knowledge and food systems. However, the distinct rights of Indigenous Peoples in the context of ...

The global activism of Indigenous Peoples and afrodescentents has been pushing for and bringing to public attention the right for self-determination, autonomy, and self-government. This has led to important progress in international law; however, these achievements and their implementation are threatened by policies from national governments and economic interests that run against these essential ...

The Indigenous Navigator consortium welcomes the review of information on the status of the data and information, operationalization, review, and update of the four traditional knowledge indicators, following the last information note produced by the Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions. The Indigenous Navigator is a primary example of community-based monitoring and information sys...

The compilation you have in your hands is the unique result of a collaborative effort between Indigenous and non-indigenous activists and scholars who voluntarily document and report on the situation of Indigenous Peoples’ rights. We thank them and celebrate the bonds and sense of community that result from the close cooperation needed to make this one-of-a kind documentation tool available. Fo...

The Indigenous World is the unique result of a collaborative effort between Indigenous and non-Indigenous activists and scholars who voluntarily document and report on the situation of Indigenous Peoples’ rights. For 37 consecutive years IWGIA has published The Indigenous World in collaboration with this communi...

Tourism projects are often designed and implemented without respect for the rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the right to self-determination; lands, territories and resources; free prior and informed consent; as well as economic, social and cultural rights. Furthermore, the travel industry is often deeply voyeuristic in the way it views Indigenous cultures.

This written statement is submitted to the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in response to the call for submission on: “Establishing monitoring mechanisms at the national and regional level for implementation of the UN Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples.”

The right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) is a fundamental right for Indigenous Peoples worldwide. However, there are serious global challenges in its implementation, including across the African continent.

Indigenous Peoples positioned themselves in multilateral climate negotiations through their advocacy. Although the international community gradually recognises Indigenous Peoples’ contributions to climate governance, a rights-based approach in national climate action is still largely absent.

IWGIA prepared the following statement and submitted it to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights at its 73rd session in October 2022. Indigenous Peoples in Africa are increasingly losing their ancestral lands through land grabbing and forced evictions, which threaten their future existence. The land grabbing and evictions are done in violent ways and in blatant discard for interna...

This written statement is respectfully submitted to the Commission on the Status of Women in response to the priority theme; Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.

Indigenous Peoples continued to be severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. In many countries where IWGIA works, partners struggled with the health situation and government restrictions that impacted their freedom of movement and further exacerbated the encroachment on Indigenous Peoples’ rights and shrinking civic space (see also last year’s annual report). In 2021, we provided inf...

On 4 April 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report on Mitigation of Climate Change – the contribution of the Working Group III (WGIII) to the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). In response to this, IWGIA, the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) and Pastoralists Indigenous NGO Forum (PINGO's Forum) present a j...

Over the past 20 years, the WGIP has collaborated with a wide range of actors, first and foremost with representatives of Indigenous populations/communities. A strong collaboration and partnership with the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) was initiated in 2000 and developed over the years, with IWGIA providing essential financial and technical resources to support the work o...

In the past two decades, the United Nations has increasingly focused attention on the human rights of Indigenous Peoples. A growing set of UN treaty bodies (TB’s) and mechanisms continually recommend Member States to improve the rights of Indigenous Women.