IWGIA - International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs

🌱On this International Day for Biodiversity we celebrate Indigenous Peoples and their vital roles in the protection and conservation of global biodiversity. 🌍Although only constituting 6% of the global population, their lands and territories cover more than 25% of the world’s land surface, encompassing some of the most biodiversity-rich regions on Earth. Through their knowledge systems and practices, Indigenous Peoples continue to live in reciprocal relationships with the natural world and ensure resilient and thriving ecosystems, protecting biological diversity on their lands and territories from external threats such as over-exploitation of resources and illegal hunting. However, Indigenous Peoples continuously suffer from gross rights violations, including the forceful removal from their ancestral lands in the name of biodiversity conservation, also known as fortress conservation. This not only violates their rights, but also often contributes to the decline of biodiversity in the area, as evidenced in numerous examples across the world, including the Kahutzi-Biega National Park in the 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo created on the lands of the Batwa People. Respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples is fundamental to protecting and conserving our remaining biodiversity and achieving the target of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity of halting the ongoing global loss of biodiversity by 2030. 👉For more information read our most recent Indigenous World article here: https://bit.ly/43obfbC 🔗 #IndigenousPeoples #HumanRights #Conservation #Biodiversity #CBD #KMGBF

Protecting land should not be treated as a crime. Across the world, people defending land, water and forests are being threatened, sued, criminalised and attacked for speaking out against harmful business activities. According to Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, 75% of recorded attacks against business-related human rights defenders in 2025 targeted climate, land and environmental defenders. Judicial harassment — including criminalisation and lawsuits used to silence criticism — was the most common type of attack. For Indigenous Peoples, land is not only a resource. It is tied to culture, identity, livelihoods, spirituality and self-determination. ✊IWGIA stands with Indigenous Peoples defending their rights and territories. Governments and businesses must ensure that those who speak out are protected — not punished. 👉Read the full briefing here: https://bit.ly/4uYzWak #IndigenousPeoples #HumanRights #BizHumanRights

IWGIA welcomes the continued efforts of the Green Climate Fund to advance meaningful and equitable engagement of Indigenous Peoples, most recently demonstrated through the Global Conference with Indigenous Peoples held on 8–10 April 2026. We have strongly advocated for this commitment since the establishment of the Fund. 👉For information about Indigenous Peoples’ advocacy and engagement in the Green Climate Fund in 2025, read this dedicated article of the recently launched The Indigenous World 2026: https://bit.ly/3RBP4Mq 🔗 #IndigenousPeoples #Climate #GCF

(Ver versión en castellano después del mensaje en inglés) 📣 Join us today for Session 1 of our Mid-Term Training: LCIPP/SB, Climate Change & the UNFCCC Processes. This training aims to strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ participation in LCIPP-FWG15 (02–05 June 2026) and SB64 (08–18 June 2026) in Bonn, Germany. 📅 Thursday 21 May 🕓 16:00 - 18:00 (Geneva) / 09:00 - 11:00 (Colombia/Ecuador/Peru) 🔗 Join here: https://bit.ly/3RNhYt0 🗨️ Interpretation available in 🇬🇧 English, 🇪🇸 Spanish, 🇵🇹 Portuguese, 🇫🇷 French and 🇷🇺 Russian 🤝 This training is convened by the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC), International Indigenous Youth Forum on Climate Change (IIYFCC), UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples (UNVF), the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), the Center for Documentation, Research and Information of Indigenous Peoples (DOCIP), and Nia Tero. #IndigenousPeoples #HumanRights #Climate #UNFCCC ----------------------------------------------------------------- 📣 Únase a nosotros hoy para el jueves para la Sesión 1 de nuestro próximo Entrenamiento de Duración Intermedia: LCIPP/SB, Cambio Climático y los procesos de la CMNUCC. Este entrenamiento tiene como objetivo fortalecer la participación de los Pueblos Indígenas en el LCIPP-FWG15 (02–05 de junio de 2026) y en el SB64 (08–18 de junio de 2026), en Bonn, Alemania. 📅 Fecha: Jueves 21 de mayo 🕓 16:00 - 18:00 (Ginebra) / 09:00 - 11:00 (Colombia/Ecuador/Peru) 🔗 Únase aquí (Zoom): https://bit.ly/3RNhYt0 🗨️ Habrá interpretación simultánea en 🇬🇧 inglés, 🇪🇸 español, 🇵🇹 portugués, 🇫🇷 francés y 🇷🇺 ruso #PueblosIndígenas #DerechosHumanos

Indigenous Peoples are being targeted for defending land, rights and the future. In 2025, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre documented 790 attacks against people speaking out about harmful business activities across 80 countries. Nearly one third of these attacks targeted Indigenous Peoples. These attacks are not isolated incidents. They are part of a broader pattern where Indigenous Peoples defending land, water, forests, culture and self-determination are met with threats, violence and criminalisation. ✊IWGIA stands with Indigenous Peoples and human rights defenders. Protecting rights should never put people at risk. Read the full briefing here: https://bit.ly/4uYzWak

📘 En tiempos de crisis y polarización, El Mundo Indígena abre un espacio para pensar los derechos indígenas desde Bolivia y el mundo En medio de una creciente escalada de tensiones políticas y sociales en Bolivia, marcada por disputas sobre legislación, recursos naturales y derechos colectivos, la presentación de la 40ª edición de El Mundo Indígena abrió un espacio destinado a detenerse, documentar, escuchar y reflexionar sobre los desafíos que enfrentan hoy los Pueblos Indígenas a escala local y global. El encuentro, organizado por IWGIA, junto al Observatorio de Derechos Indígenas e Interculturalidad de la UMSA y Oré (Organización de Apoyo Legal y Social), reunió en La Paz a representantes indígenas, integrantes de la academia, organizaciones sociales y especialistas para dialogar sobre derechos, gobernanza territorial y transformaciones políticas que afectan a los Pueblos Indígenas. En este marco, los participantes coincidieron en que, frente al debilitamiento de garantías internacionales y las crecientes presiones sobre territorios y derechos, sostener espacios de diálogo, memoria y documentación sigue siendo una forma de resistencia colectiva. 📲 Lee la nota completa: https://bit.ly/4dR0Efo 📸 Fotos: Betty Villca

What happens when research becomes actions?💡 In a new episode of Intertwined, a podcast by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, IWGIA’s Genevieve Rose joins a conversation about how anthropologists helped lay the foundation for IWGIA — and how the organisation moved from documentation and research into advocacy for Indigenous Peoples’ rights. The episode explores IWGIA’s origins, the importance of documenting Indigenous Peoples’ struggles, and how perceptions of Indigenous Peoples and their rights have changed over time. The conversation also touches on current issues in IWGIA’s work, including gender equity and climate finance. Listen to the episode here: https://lnkd.in/emHdH6z7

(Ver versión en castellano después del mensaje en inglés) 📣 Join us on Thursday for Session 1 of our Mid-Term Training: LCIPP/SB, Climate Change & the UNFCCC Processes. This training aims to strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ participation in LCIPP-FWG15 (02–05 June 2026) and SB64 (08–18 June 2026) in Bonn, Germany. Through discussions on reprisals against Indigenous defenders, key advocacy processes, and reflections on COP30 outcomes, the session will provide an overview of priority negotiation topics and strategic engagement spaces, including the Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels Conference and Climate Week in South Korea. 📅 Thursday 21 May 🕓 16:00 - 18:00 (Geneva) / 09:00 - 11:00 (Colombia/Ecuador/Peru) 🔗 Join here: https://bit.ly/3RNhYt0 🗨️ Interpretation available in 🇬🇧 English, 🇪🇸 Spanish, 🇵🇹 Portuguese, 🇫🇷 French and 🇷🇺 Russian 🤝 This training is convened by the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC), International Indigenous Youth Forum on Climate Change (IIYFCC), UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples (UNVF), the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), the Center for Documentation, Research and Information of Indigenous Peoples (DOCIP), and Nia Tero. #IndigenousPeoples #HumanRights #Climate #UNFCCC ----------------------------------------------------------------- 📣 Únase a nosotros el jueves para la Sesión 1 de nuestro próximo Entrenamiento de Duración Intermedia: LCIPP/SB, Cambio Climático y los procesos de la CMNUCC. Este entrenamiento, liderado por el IIPFCC, el IIYFCC y organizaciones aliadas involucradas en los procesos de la CMNUCC, tiene como objetivo fortalecer la participación de los Pueblos Indígenas en el LCIPP-FWG15 (02–05 de junio de 2026) y en el SB64 (08–18 de junio de 2026), en Bonn, Alemania. A través de discusiones sobre represalias contra defensores indígenas, procesos clave de incidencia y reflexiones sobre los resultados de la COP30, la sesión brindará una visión general de los temas prioritarios de negociación y de los espacios estratégicos de participación, incluyendo la Conferencia sobre la Transición para el Abandono de los Combustibles Fósiles y la Semana del Clima en Corea del Sur. 📅 Fecha: Jueves 21 de mayo 🕓 16:00 - 18:00 (Ginebra) / 09:00 - 11:00 (Colombia/Ecuador/Peru) 🔗 Únase aquí (Zoom): https://bit.ly/3RNhYt0 🗨️ Habrá interpretación simultánea en 🇬🇧 inglés, 🇪🇸 español, 🇵🇹 portugués, 🇫🇷 francés y 🇷🇺 ruso 🤝Esta entrenamiento está organizada por el Foro Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas sobre el Cambio Climático (IIPFCC), el Foro Internacional de Jóvenes Indígenas sobre el Cambio Climático (IIYFCC), el Fondo Voluntario de las Naciones Unidas para los Pueblos Indígenas (UNVF), el Grupo Internacional de Trabajo sobre Asuntos Indígenas (IWGIA), el Centro de Documentación, Investigación e Información de los Pueblos Indígenas (DOCIP) y Nia Tero. #PueblosIndígenas #DerechosHumanos

‼️65% of children imprisoned in 🇦🇺 Australia are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Yet, they make up only 6.5% of children aged 10–17. 🇺🇳 The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination warns that this persistent overrepresentation reflects systemic and structural racial discrimination — driven by racial profiling, over-policing and laws that continue to criminalise children as young as 10 in several states and territories. Indigenous children should be protected and supported, not criminalised. 👉Read the UNCERD press release via 🔗 https://bit.ly/4frjkU3 We join the call for Australia to swiftly and responsibly increase their efforts to eliminate the systematic racial discrimination of Indigenous children in the criminal justice system. No child should be targeted by the justice system: an issue IWGIA has described numerous times in The Indigenous World. 👉Read our coverage of issues facing Indigenous Peoples and children/youth in Australia here: https://bit.ly/3Pwg3Zh #IndigenousPeoples #HumanRights #Australia

🇵🇪 📘 Presentación de El Mundo Indígena 2026 en Perú 🗓️ ¿Cuándo?: Martes 19 de mayo a las 9 hs 📍 ¿Dónde?: Auditorio del Centro Cultural CAFAE-SE, Av. Arequipa 2985, San Isidro, Lima ✊Organizan: Servindi e IWGIA