Consolidating land tenure and territorial rights of Indigenous Peoples in Colombia

Project Overview

Despite legal frameworks in place that intend to protect Indigenous Peoples’ territorial rights (like resguardos) in Colombia, Indigenous Peoples are continuously deprived from the full enjoyment and control of their territories. This is due to many historical, economic and political conditions present in Colombia that deprive indigenous communities’ control over land. This has led to many incidents of discrimination, exclusion and vulnerability as well as an exacerbation of territorial conflicts, dispossession and forced displacements. 

Building from the results achieved in the 2020-2023 project Strengthening territorial rights of Indigenous Peoples in Colombia, this new project aims to help tackle existing barriers that inhibit the effective completion of processes that guarantee the full recognition of territorial rights for Indigenous Peoples in Colombia.  

The project has two specific goals:  

1. Socio-legal impact: Promote administrative and legislative actions aimed at directly influencing the advancement of Indigenous Peoples’ territorial rights. This includes actions that guarantee the formalisation of indigenous territories, the protection of indigenous ancestral lands and sacred sites, and the restitution of indigenous territorial rights. 

2. Strengthening data management and advocacy: Promote actions that position and protect indigenous data within the geographic information systems used (as a vital instrument for the development of qualitative and quantitative information that helps advance the formalisation and legal security processes of indigenous territories). Likewise, position GIS as an important tool to highlight and advocate for territorial indigenous rights in national and international contexts. 

Upon the project’s completion 98 indigenous communities will have securer rights.