October 20th - World Statistics Day. In development policy if something cannot be measured it doesn’t count. As a development professional I am frequently asked how many indigenous peoples and African descendants live in the region. A short answer, based on recent estimates, is that they represent up to 40% of the population. However, the issue is more complex, and shows how … [Read more...] about 5 ways to make sure that the most vulnerable citizens are considered
pueblos indígenas
Use it or Lose it: Tough Decisions for Indigenous Peoples
August 9th- International Day of Indigenous Peoples For the second time just this year I have worked with indigenous peoples who have been forced to move and change their lifestyle due to land pressures. These tough choices are often driven by external actors and concepts of land use that marginalize conservation and instead are based on “use it or lose it” policies My first … [Read more...] about Use it or Lose it: Tough Decisions for Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous peoples, biodiversity and "buen vivir"
How do indigenous peoples work with governments to develop public policies that promote biodiversity as a tool for sustainable development? This question is fundamental for our reflections this week as we celebrate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, established by the United Nations in 1994 to support indigenous peoples and their solutions to problems, and … [Read more...] about Indigenous peoples, biodiversity and “buen vivir”
Mestizo or indigenous: would you treat me differently?
Para leer en español, haz clic aquí Ten women prepare themselves: hair, makeup, clothes, and posture. They practice proper cadence for scripted answers to questions they will soon be asked. Each of them will say she arrived in Lima from an Andean town seeking a brighter future for her two children. Her partner is returning after being away for six months for work, and they do … [Read more...] about Mestizo or indigenous: would you treat me differently?
Politics and prose can affect indigenous population size
Para leer en español, haz click aquí Some recent censuses in Latin America reveal a surprising trend; indigenous peoples are disappearing. However, they are not dying, nor leaving. Instead, individuals who had self‑identified as indigenous earlier opted to no longer identify as indigenous. Countries like Chile and Bolivia are good examples of this. In 1992, the Chilean Census … [Read more...] about Politics and prose can affect indigenous population size