Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas – Defender los derechos de los pueblos indígenas

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Today marks International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Defenders of the rights of indigenous peoples continue to face enormous challenges when carrying out their peaceful and legitimate work. While there have been some positive developments and advances, including the entry into force of the Escazú agreement in April 2021, which provides better protections for indigenous people who are environmental defenders, challenges new and old remain.

COVID-19 continues to disproportionately damage the work of indigenous defenders, who have become susceptible to attack during national lockdowns, unable to flee for their own safety. Others have come up against deforestation, land grabs and increased extractive industry activity, as States supported expansion of business operations at the expense of the rights of indigenous peoples´.

In the last 12 months, my mandate has written 41 letters on indigenous human rights defenders jointly with the Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples and other UN experts.

States in all world regions received communications about their alleged involvement in abuses affecting indigenous human rights defenders. The United States of America received three communications in the 10 months before 9 June 2021 (i.e. all publicly available communications since last years’ International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples). Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Colombia and Mexico received two communications each over the same period.

Communications sent to States on issues affecting defenders of the rights of indigenous peoples (10 August 2020 – 9 June 2021)

DateCountryTypeLink and Ref. no.Replies 
28 May 2021BrazilJALBRA 3/202127 Jul 2021 
20 May 2021MexicoJALMEX 6/2021  
20 May 2021HondurasJALHND 3/202119 Jul 2021 
07 May 2021ColombiaJALCOL 6/202108 Jul 2021 
30 Mar 2021United States of AmericaJALUSA 16/2021  
30 Mar 2021NepalJALNPL 1/202131 May 2021 
30 Mar 2021Marriot InternationalJALOTH 184/202129 Apr 2021 
30 Mar 2021Chhaya Devi Complex Pvt. LtdJALOTH 183/2021  
26 Mar 2021VinciJALOTH 180/202125 May 2021 
26 Mar 2021United States of AmericaJALUSA 15/2021  
26 Mar 2021SpainJALESP 2/202127 May 2021 
26 Mar 2021ParagonJALOTH 179/2021  
26 Mar 2021FranceJALFRA 3/2021  
26 Mar 2021Dorna SportsJALOTH 181/2021  
26 Mar 2021Club MedJALOTH 178/202121 May 2021 
26 Mar 2021AccorJALOTH 177/202116 Apr 2021 
04 Mar 2021Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation – ITDCJALOTH 49/2021  
04 Mar 2021IndonesiaJALIDN 5/202103 May 2021 
04 Mar 2021Asian Infrastruture Investment BankJALOTH 24/202103 May 2021 
25 Feb 2021GuatemalaJUAGTM 2/202126 Apr 202126 Apr 2021
19 Feb 2021HondurasJALHND 1/202116 Apr 2021 
22 Jan 2021PhilippinesJALPHL 1/202101 Feb 2021 
18 Jan 2021EMSA S.A.JALOTH 1/2021  16 Mar 2021   16 Mar 2021   16 Mar 2021   16 March 202116 Mar 2021   16 Mar 2021   16 Mar 2021   16 March 2021
08 Jan 2021AlgeriaJALDZA 6/202026 Feb 2021 
05 Jan 2021NicaraguaJALNIC 1/2021  
24 Dec 2020ChileJALCHL 7/2020  
17 Dec 2020ColombiaJUACOL 13/202023 Feb 2021 
27 Nov 2020PeruJALPER 9/2020  
09 Nov 2020Tikindustrias Sociedad AnónimaJALOTH 30/202007 Jan 202107 Jan 2021
09 Nov 2020Reforestadora de Palmas del Petén Sociedad Anónima – REPSAJALOTH 28/2020  
09 Nov 2020Nacional Agroindustrial Sociedad AnónimaJALOTH 27/202008 Jan 2021 
09 Nov 2020Industrias Chiquibul Sociedad AnónimaJALOTH 26/2020  
09 Nov 2020GuatemalaJALGTM 3/2020  28 Dec 2020   8 Jan 2021   8 Jan 2021   8 Jan 202108 Jan 2021   8 Jan 2021   8 Jan 2021    
09 Nov 2020Cauchos y Palmas Sociedad AnónimaJALOTH 25/2020  
06 Nov 2020United States of AmericaJALUSA 27/2020  
12 Oct 2020IsraelJUAISR 7/2020  
21 Sep 2020UN HabitatJALOTH 67/202020 Nov 2020 
21 Sep 2020MexicoJALMEX 11/202020 Nov 2020 
07 Sep 2020IndonesiaJALIDN 4/202015 Sep 2020 
07 Sep 2020BEST GroupJALOTH 63/2020  
19 Aug 2020KenyaJALKEN 3/2020  

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