Latin America Leads Discussions on Indigenous Women’s Rights

April 25, 2024 Hour: 6:23 pm

On Thursday, Latin America is currently at the forefront of discussions to strengthen and adapt the fundamental guarantees for indigenous women to the needs of their geographic area.

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In this scenario, the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples (Filac) has an essential role in their preservation and promotion within these communities.

In declarations to Prensa Latina, Dali Angel Perez, member of Filac’s coordination, considered indispensable the support of local governments and the world to implement the widespread debates on the rights of indigenous women.

The also coordinator of the organization’s Youth and Women Program explained that the dialogues in this regard are based on the implementation of General Recommendation 39, issued in 2022 by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

El Fondo para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas de América Latina y el Caribe @filac_ presenta un sistema de monitoreo de derechos de las mujeres y niñas indígenas, con el que abordará aspectos sobre la economía indígena @DaliAngelPerez https://t.co/aA34XNQ3VI

— Efeminista (@efeminista_efe)
April 25, 2024

The text reads,

The Fund for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean

@filac_

presents a system for monitoring the rights of indigenous women and girls, with which it will address aspects of the indigenous economy

@DaliAngelPerez

Among other aspects, the regulations provide guidance to states parties on legislative, policy and other relevant measures to ensure compliance with their obligations in relation to the rights of indigenous women and girls.

Issues such as access to land, health, education, culture, and work, as well as effective participation in political and public life, are included in the text, which is considered a major step forward for community members.

However, Pérez explained that implementation requires finding a way to measure the indicators, a work that Filac is developing together with the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

After a recent regional meeting with more than 200 indigenous people, the Development Fund and ECLAC presented the indicators identified and recommendations emerged in aspects such as land and territory ownership or political participation.

According to the coordinator, this is a regional experience in which Bolivia plays a leading role as president of Filac.

“The ideal would be for this to go well and be replicated in other socio-cultural regions of the world, to be a good regional experience and, above all, to invite other states to join in,” she said.

The talks seek to encourage other countries to follow the example of Bolivia, Mexico or Brazil so that they can follow up on the recommendation and support the rights of indigenous women, she added.

According to UN estimates, the global indigenous population amounts to 476.6 million, of which more than half are women, while 52.2 million live in Latin America.

Despite this parity, phenomena such as discrimination and violence are recurrent in the lives of many women outside and inside their territories.

The Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples is made up of 19 countries in the region, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba and Venezuela, together with Spain, Belgium and Portugal as extra-regional members.