Autonomous territorial governance and the preservation of territorial rights and biodiversity in the northern and eastern Amazon of Peru

Project Overview    

The Awajun People and the Wampis Nation are Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral territories cover millions of hectares of largely intact forest in the northwest Peruvian Amazon. Like many Indigenous groups over the world, they face grave and increasing threats to their lands, livelihoods, traditional governance systems, and their very existence. Their territories are under heavy pressure from destructive activities such as mining, oil exploitation and illegal logging that puts their lives and the forests they protect at risk. 

In response to these threats – and recognising the state’s limited capacity to enforce its own laws – the Awajun and the Wampis , through collective and participatory processes, have worked for many years to build their own autonomous territorial governments. The GTAs are rooted in traditional norms and aim to revitalise ancestral Indigenous systems for collective decision making, biodiversity conservation, natural resource management, and spiritual connection. In partnership with Tenure Facility the GTAs are seeking recognition by and cooperation with Peruvian government agencies to remove the threats of extractive industries, preserve the culture of the Awajun and Wampis Peoples, and protect a diverse ecosystem that is the larger than the area of Denmark.     

Project results are achieved through actions focused on improving internal governance and territorial control of the two GTAs territories, which together cover approximately 4.3 million hectares.  

Project activities include:  

1. Strengthen control, surveillance, monitoring and territorial management systems ensuring they operate effectively, efficiently and sustainably. 

2. Enhance women’s representation and participation in territorial governance and food security processes, providing training on women’s leadership, support for knowledge sharing and revitalisation of traditional food production practices.  

3. Support the development of women-led and community-based productive enterprise by strengthening linkages with donors and other relevant actors. 

4. Implement educational practices in project communities that uphold Awajun and Wampis values and languages to stop and prevent the loss of traditional and cultural norms.   

5. Develop shared territoriality and self-government actions with other territorial institutions in Peru, such as the Inter-Ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Amazon (AIDESEP) 

6. Strengthen decision-making capacities and the self-determination of the GTAA and the GTANW.