IWGIA Report says African Countries Routinely Violate Indigenous Peoples’ Rights

Image: IWGIA

The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) published a new study that focuses on human rights standards related to Indigenous Peoples and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in Africa. FPIC is a fundamental right for Indigenous Peoples, however according to this study, a number of African countries face serious challenges in implementing this principle.

“It is a situation where grave human rights violations are occurring, such as forced dispossession and displacement, which threaten the physical and cultural survival of Indigenous Peoples,” states the study.

The report also highlights a comparative overview of experiences and developments in Latin America, focusing on legislation dealing with consultation, and Indigenous Peoples’ own initiatives, particularly through autonomous consultation protocols.

The study, which was led by  Leonardo J. Alvarado, an Indigenous human rights lawyer and expert on Indigenous Peoples’ rights issues, offers recommendations to states, business and international agencies to facilitate Indigenous participation in land use decisions in Africa, and calls on international conservation organizations to promote and fund Indigenous-led conservation projects, and for businesses to create a global Indigenous populations’/communities’ fund for Indigenous people impacted by extractive industries.

The full report can be downloaded on the website of IWGIA.