Indigenous Peoples’ Land Rights in the Bolivian Lowlands : Ways to Mitigate Inequalities in Resource-Related Issues

Headings: 
Title: 
Indigenous Peoples’ Land Rights in the Bolivian Lowlands : Ways to Mitigate Inequalities in Resource-Related Issues
Journal Citation: 
5(1) INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW REVIEW, 119-45 (2016)

Indigenous people are affected disproportionally by resource extraction projects, but Indigenous land rights remain a controversial topic because they run contrary to corporate and state rhetoric of growth. The Indigenous Guaraní community in Bolivia serves as a case-study to shed light on gender and age-based inequalities that arise between non-Indigenous actors and Indigenous people as well as within Indigenous communities. Despite Bolivia being an international leader in ratifying international human rights instruments and pro-indigenous laws, persistent inequalities continue to jeopardize Indigenous peoples’ resource rights. Indigenous women face numerous barriers to participation in the consultation process for extraction projects, including the limitation of two participants per community in meetings, feelings of insecurity, and educational gaps. Moreover, Indigenous women face inequality in land issues even within Indigenous communities due to the intersectionality of being Indigenous and female. State measures and greater corporate social responsibility are needed to protect Indigenous peoples’ land rights.