indigenous

In 16 Central and South American countries analyzed in a report by the Rights and Resources Initiative, the area allocated to Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities increased by 52 million acres in five years

Latin America has been a pioneering region in terms of recognizing the territorial rights of Afro-descendant and Indigenous communities. However, in recent years, it has been falling behind. This is stated in a report — Who Owns the World’s Land? — published on June 15 by the Rights and Resource Initiative (RRI). The international NGO examined 73 countries, which together cover 85% of the earth’s surface, to see what percentage of territory belongs to Indigenous and Afro-descendent communities: or, at least, what amount of territory has officially been designated to them.

Globally, between 2015 and 2020 — the period that the report evaluated — the total area of land controlled by these groups increased by 254 million acres. However, in Latin America, barely 52 million acres were added. Specifically, across the region, the lands designated to Indigenous or Afro communities (that is, they have use of them, but don’t own them), increased by nearly 10 million acres, from 3% in 2015 to 3.2% in 2020. Meanwhile, the lands that these communities officially own grew by 42 million acres, from 16.7% to 17.6% of overall territory.

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