Indigenous Peoples

Despite growing awareness of their rights, enshrined in the UN Declaration of 2007, many of the world's indigenous peoples remain threatened by poverty, marginalization, the loss of their natural habitat – and in some cases, by outright extinction. Their social indicators are almost universally lower than those of ethnically dominant groups. Their life expectancy is shorter; the burden of unemployment and disease affects them disproportionately.

As a corollary, indigenous voices are rarely heard in processes and decisions that concern them directly. Indigenous cultures and traditions are also rarely taken into account in the establishment and drafting of development strategies. IDLO is increasingly helping design rule-of-law based solutions to enhance indigenous peoples' access to justice. Our contribution in the field frequently intersects with our work on Sustainability and Economic Opportunity.

HRC 42 | Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

42nd Session of the Human Rights Council: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

STATEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW ORGANIZATION

Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

Delivered by Julian Fleet, Permanent Observer to the United Nations in Geneva

Legal frameworks key to responsible agriculture investments

Agriculture is the most important economic activity in Guatemala, employing around 32 per cent of the country’s labor force and contributing 14 per c

36th Session of the Human Rights Council: Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples

STATEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW ORGANIZATION

36th Session of the Human Rights Council: Clustered Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples

September 20, 2017

Geneva, Switzerland

Towards Inclusive Natural Resource Management in Indonesia

Sustainable management of natural resources in Indonesia is negatively affected by overlapping land permits, with local governments, companies, local populations and indigenous people simultaneously claiming the same land. In East Kalimantan, the government has identified several nature reserve areas, but in the same area there are vast coal deposits, oil palm plantation sites and timber, gas, oil and coal extraction companies. Beyond this, local communities claim ownership of land based on historic or customary rights.

16th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

STATEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW ORGANIZATION

16th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Agenda item 4: Implementation of the six mandated areas of the Permanent Forum with reference to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

April 27, 2017

New York

IDLO a Dr Pucheta: ¿Que significan estado de derecho y acceso a la justicia para Paraguay?

Biodiversity, Nagoya Protocol and National Laws

In 2014 a new international treaty entered into force – the Nagoya Protocol under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

33rd Session of the Human Rights Council: The causes and consequences of violence against indigenous women and girls, including those with disabilities

STATEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW ORGANIZATION

33rd Session of the Human Rights Council: The Causes and Consequences of Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls, Including Those with Disabilities

September 20, 2016

Geneva

14th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

STATEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW ORGANIZATION

14TH SESSION OF THE UN PERMANENT FORUM ON INDIGENOUS ISSUES

Indigenous Rights and the Post-2015 Debate

The rule of law must be used as a tool to vindicate the rights of indigenous people and to ensure that development in the post-2015 era protects their lives, livelihoods, resources and environments, urged Judit Arenas, Deputy Permanent Observer of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) to the United Nations.

Key Initiatives

Towards Inclusive Natural Resource Management in Indonesia

Sustainable management of natural resources in Indonesia is negatively affected by overlapping land permits, with local governments, companies, local populations and indigenous people simultaneously claiming the same land. In East Kalimantan, the government has identified several nature reserve areas, but in the same area there are vast coal deposits, oil palm plantation sites and timber, gas, oil and coal extraction companies. Beyond this, local communities claim ownership of land based on historic or customary rights.
Promoting Intercultural Justice in Peru

IDLO has been working with the European Union’s EUROsociAL program to provide assistance and support to Peru’s indigenous communities. Partnering with the Peruvian Ministry of Justice and judiciary, IDLO has helped create a model for legal orientation and institutional coordination on intercultural justice in the district of San Martín. The intervention sought to strengthen orientation services and legal aid, establishing a model for intercultural justice.
Rights and Conflict Reduction in Guatemala

With 40 percent of its land covered by forests, Guatemala is richly endowed in biodiversity, and thus well-placed to benefit from a green economy. But as it seeks to make this transition, the country must protect the rights of indigenous communities, whose livelihoods depend on natural resources.
Ecuador: From Subsistence to Market

In order to ease the isolation experienced by some of Ecuador’s indigenous communities, IDLO has designed a legal model for accessing fair trade markets. The pilot phase of the initiative took place in two remote Quechua-speaking mountain settlements, Rumicorral and Ambrosio Lasso. Both communities had extremely low social indicators, with virtually no access to external markets for what was otherwise naturally organic and pesticide-free farming produce.