Governance and Democracy: Indigenous Governance in the Americas

Historically, indigenous peoples of the Americas, considered “ethnic minorities” in most countries, have been excluded from power. Integration policies imposed by the state seek to homogenize national society with complete disregard for the cultural diversity –and by extension the individual and collective rights – of indigenous peoples. Dispossession of traditional lands is an exclusionary measure that threatens the identity of indigenous peoples and their survival as a cultural group.

Indigenous peoples have been seriously affected by the new model of development, despite advances in the recognition of aboriginal rights. The encroachment of large-scale agriculture and natural resource extraction, particularly mining, have undermined indigenous peoples’ sense of belonging to ancestral lands and changed their way of life. Pressures created by economic policies have led to intensified land disputes and increased poverty and inequality. In reaction to these oppressive factors, a strengthened indigenous movement in Latin America has united around the common cause of land and resource claims, as well as the opening of political spaces for decision-making on issues that affect indigenous peoples. New partners and allies have joined the indigenous organizational framework to achieve new democratic options.

To some extent, these movements have influenced constitutional reform in some countries and have resulted in a rethinking of strategies to increase indigenous participation in local and national government in a way that incorporates certain practices from the two different governance systems.

Project Objectives:

• Strengthen relations between indigenous peoples, government and civil society at the national and international levels in the area of indigenous governance.
• Inform Latin American and Canadian governments and civil society about past and present models of indigenous governance.
• Contribute to critical reflection on indigenous governance experiences and their influence on the regional democratic framework.

Research is being conducted with the participation of organizations that represent indigenous peoples through constructive forums such as round tables and seminars to discuss experiences in countries including Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Guatemala and Canada. Likewise, expert participation and dialogue with institutions enhance the understanding of traditional practices of indigenous governments and their political dimensions in the democratization process of Latin America.