Skip to main content

UNSR Victoria Tauli-Corpuz Holds Nations Accountable for Violations of Indigenous Peoples' Rights

As the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,Victoria Tauli-Corpuz has visited countries around the world to investigate the treatment of Indigenous communities by governments, following standards set by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other key human rights norms and documents. In our program series "News from the UN Special Rapporteur", we report on Tauli-Corpuz's recent travels and findings on the implementation of Indigenous rights in various contexts. In our most recent installment, IRR producer Shaldon Ferris and Tauli-Corpuz discuss progress and setbacks for Indigenous communities in Mexico since the last official UNSR visit.

Listen to the whole series here, or scroll down for a selection of recent highlights. As always, our programs are free to download and broadcast! 

 

1. UNSR Visit to Mexico

Vicky Tauli-Corpuz visited several states in Mexico to report on progress made in areas of Indigenous rights since her predecessor's trip to the country in 2003. Though the Mexican government has not fulfilled the majority of recommendations made by the former UNSR, Tauli-Corpuz notes the empowerment of autonomous municipalities since 2003 as an improvement over previous years.

2. UN Special Rapporteur Vicky Tauli-Corpuz Finds Inadequate Consultation Process in Honduras

Vicky Tauli-Corpuz says she has found an inadequate process of consultation with Indigenous communities on the part of the national government during her visit to Honduras, where she was recently invited for a working visit to comment on a draft of a law regulating Free, Prior and Informed Consent. Indigenous Hondurans do not feel that they were adequately consulted on the content of the law.

3. Maya Land Rights in Belize

Victoria Tauli-Corpuz urged the Government of Belize to ensure respect for the rights of the country’s Maya people to non-discrimination and traditional property. The independent expert’s call comes after the arrest of 12 Maya people and local leaders charged with unlawful imprisonment for their actions to remove a non-Maya individual, Rupert Myles, from their village lands.