indigenous people

Joenia Wapixana, activist for the rights of indigenous people in Brazil
UN News/Daniela Gross

First Person: A life dedicated to indigenous rights in Brazil

18 September 2021
Human Rights

For almost 30 years, Brazilian activist Joenia Wapixana, has been fighting for indigenous land rights and against “institutionalized discrimination” in Brazil. In a special interview with UN News, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, she says it’s time to dedicate more resources to this fight.

Families from Cotzal Quiché weave typical costumes as part of a project supported by UN Guatemala.
UN Guatemala/Hector Delgado

‘Wisdom’ of Guatemala’s indigenous people needed for sustainable development: A UN Resident Coordinator blog

30 August 2020
SDGs

The wisdom and knowledge of indigenous people in Guatemala is central to the realization of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs, targets agreed by countries around the world to end poverty, maintain peace and preserve the health of the planet. In this blog, the UN Resident Coordinator in Guatemala Rebeca Arias Flores explains how sustainable development is not new, but simply a new name that draws on ancient wisdom that is renewed with each generation of indigenous people. 

A young Nuñoan woman, part of the Quechua indigenous peoples in Peru, spinning yarn following training in traditional handicraft techniques.
SGP-GEF-UNDP Peru/Enrique Castro-Mendívil

FROM THE FIELD: A mountain of indigenous knowledge in Peru

9 August 2018
Economic Development

Indigenous people in a remote mountain town in the Andes in Peru are being helped to boost their incomes by preserving a valuable but threatened breed of alpaca.

Agnes Callamard, UN Special Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial summary or arbitrary Executions.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe

Philippines: UN experts urge Government to address spiralling rights violations

31 July 2017
A group of United Nations experts has urged the Government of the Philippines to immediately address reported human rights violations, including murder, threats against indigenous peoples and the summary execution of children.