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Tackling Indigenous Poverty in Guatemala

Indigenous Poverty in GuatemalaGuatemala, a small country in Central America with a population of 18.4 million, continues to face widespread poverty, especially among Indigenous communities. 

Brief History of Indigenous People in Guatemala

The Maya people, Guatemala’s largest Indigenous group, have endured centuries worth of colonization, conquest and neocolonial forms of violence and domination. Their struggles and systemic discrimination increased during the Guatemalan Civil War that lasted from 1960 to 1996. During the civil war, the Maya people were accused of being affiliated with or supporters of the Guerrillas (a paramilitary group).

The Guatemalan government burned entire villages and innocent people were massacred. What is now considered a genocide resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, the internal displacement of one million people and 30,000 fleeing as refugees to other countries. The Peace Accords were signed in 1996, allowing most refugees to return home to Guatemala.

The next crucial step was the signing of the Accord on Identity and Rights for Indigenous Peoples, designed to protect Guatemala’s Indigenous communities. Unfortunately, it wasn’t implemented.

The Numbers

Indigenous poverty in Guatemala stems from long-standing inequality—Indigenous people do not receive the same opportunities or respect as non-Indigenous populations. Indeed, four out of five Indigenous Guatemalans live in poverty, with limited access to healthcare, education and other basic necessities. Around 75% of Guatemala’s Indigenous population lives in rural areas, where government support is often limited.

Approximately 58% of Indigenous people suffer from chronic malnutrition (compared to 38% of the non-Indigenous population), which stunts children’s growth and learning, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Additionally, many Indigenous children do not complete secondary school and literacy rates remain particularly low among Indigenous women.

Why These Inequalities Persist

These disparities are rooted in structural and institutional discrimination:

  • Structural Racism: According to The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), the social and political gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Guatemalans reflects systemic racism, a legacy of colonialism that remains interwoven into modern governance.
  • Unequal Public Investment: The stark difference in daily per-capita spending ($0.40 vs. $0.90) highlights how Indigenous lives are under-resourced by the state.
  • Land Dispossession: Many Indigenous communities lack formal land titles. Without recognized land rights, they remain vulnerable to eviction, exploitation and external development projects.
  • Geographical Isolation: With most Indigenous people living in rural areas, many communities are physically and economically remote, making access to services extremely difficult.

The Change

Despite the debilitating history and hardships, Indigenous and campesino (peasant farmer) movements and organizations have taken the lead in improving the livelihood of Indigenous people in Guatemala. For more than 36 years, the Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CCDA) has fought for access to land, the defense of territory, decent work and justice. Founded in 1981, after the signing of the Peace Accords, it expanded to the Alta Verapaz region.

Currently, CCDA works in 20 departments around Guatemala. Regarding the chronic malnutrition affecting more than half of the Indigenous population, the Crecer Sano Project addresses malnutrition from a sectoral perspective. This organization focuses on expanding access to basic healthcare in remote areas, improving water access and improving sanitation.

More than 31,000 families have received water filters through this program. The initiative emphasizes behavior change by integrating traditional practices, ensuring that these communities receive culturally appropriate care. Guatemala is also vulnerable to natural disasters, which include hurricanes, droughts and earthquakes.

These natural occurrences disproportionately affect the most impoverished communities. International initiatives have supported Indigenous-led development as well. For instance, the Dedicated Grant Mechanism (DGM) for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities is part of Guatemala’s Forest Investment Program, which seeks to reduce deforestation and promote sustainable forest management. The DGM strengthens Indigenous communities’ capacity to manage land and forests sustainably by combining traditional knowledge with economic opportunities that incentivize environmental stewardship.

Moving Forward

Progress has been slow. However, organizations such as CCDA, the Crecer Sano Project and DGM demonstrate that addressing Indigenous poverty in Guatemala through empowerment and environmental protection can be achieved in tandem. Achieving true equality will require continued investment, respect for Indigenous land rights and a national commitment to justice and inclusion.

Guatemala’s Indigenous poverty is not just a legacy of the past; it is a current, structural problem. High rates of malnutrition, poverty and exclusion reflect centuries of marginalization. But the story is not only one of suffering: Indigenous communities, supported by international partners, are leading initiatives for healthier, more just futures via projects like Crecer Sano and rural development partnerships.

To build a more equitable Guatemala, it will take sustained political will, fair resource distribution, secured land rights and respect for Indigenous leadership. Only then can Guatemala truly fulfill its constitutional commitment to being a multicultural nation.

– Arielle Telfort

Arielle is based in Purchase, NY, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Vocational Māori Education in New Zealand

Vocational Māori Education In New ZealandMāori in New Zealand face a culturally unsympathetic education system, which has hindered graduation rates and students’ prospects. With roots in debate regarding their separateness from other peoples, which directly affects how special provision is dispensed in mainstream education, there are several schemes to resituate Māori custom in students’ learning. New Zealand is at a cultural crossroads between facilitating Māori beliefs within the classroom or conversely encouraging students out of it into a vocational environment. Here is more information about vocational Māori education in New Zealand.

Contextualizing the Māori Experience

In 1840, there were 80,000 Māori in comparison to 2,000 non-Māori inhabiting New Zealand; by 1896, this figure has drastically reversed with 42,000 Māori to 700,000 non-Māori. Issues of inequality remain tightly bound to ethnicity as poverty disproportionately affects the Māori which, when combined with an education system that does not reflect their beliefs, has reinforced social barriers.

In 2023, 28.3% of Māori school leavers did not achieve the NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement) Level 1, New Zealand’s official secondary school qualification, in contrast to just 14% of the non-Māori. Only 63.6% of Māori students remain enrolled in school until age 17, compared with 79% of non-Māori students.

Colonial Legacies or Responsibilities?

Educational disparities have close ties with historic prejudices; when European colonial authorities settled, the Māori experienced stigmatization. To form an agreement between the two, the settlers and the Māori signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. However, Māori and English translations of the treaty vary on one crucial point: Māori authority. Article 3 of the treaty not only grants Māori with the same citizenship rights as European colonial authorities, but also states that the Crown should provide accessible and appropriate education. However, what some deem accessible and appropriate is both a changeable and controversial topic.

In a move the government hoped would create greater social equality, it formed the Treaty Principles Bill which was voted down in April 2025 and would have, had it not received a rejection, effectively dissolved the Treaty of Waitangi’s statement of the Māori’s need for individual determination and provision. Seeing differentiation as a form of discrimination or facilitation directly changes how Māori customs are honored, or not, in mainstream education. So, New Zealand’s continual legislative insecurity has resulted in alternate pathways to widen Māori access to education: the first within and the second outside of the classroom.

Schemes Within Mainstream Education

Against a defective educational background sits the so-called ‘Māori Renaissance,’ a phrase notably European in reference and a movement which prioritizes the iwi, the Māori term for their people. Created in 1995, the Māori Affairs Select Committee made a model to support iwi in their attainment of higher educational outcomes.

These outcomes were set to begin early, with the rollout of Te Kōhanga Reo from the 1980s providing a total immersion in Māori language for preschoolers. A more culturally conscious mode of teaching has also received encouragement in the classroom, as a renewed emphasis on building a whānau, an extended family, between teachers, students and parents has aimed to prevent further disaffiliation with mainstream education.

 The 2025 Budget further affirms this aim, adding another $50 million in New Zealand’s capital funding to support Māori students’ success with enhanced curriculum and teacher training, including but not limited to:

  •     Training 51,000 teachers for years 0-13 in Te Reo, the Māori language, and Tikanga, Māori customs 
  •     Creating a STEM virtual learning network to help 5,500 senior secondary school students 
  •     Developing Māori Studies as a subject area taught between years 11-13

There are also three Māori Universities offering anything from Bachelors in Māori Performing Arts, to Māori nursing, or even Mātauranga Māori, a degree in iwi philosophy. As an alternative to a purely vocational path, these courses bring Māori knowledge in line with more traditional degree paths to allow members of the community access to higher education without forfeiting their cultural beliefs.

However, on the June 7, 2025, the New Zealand government removed Māori and Pacific learners as an eligible category for extra funding, prompting insecurity and anxiety as to how Māori accommodations will continue to work in mainstream education.

Vocational Schemes Outside Mainstream Education

Vocational learning is an experience intrinsically Māori in practice, as past generations would impart crafts like weaving and woodworking in a familial practice known as the Tuakana teina dynamic. This principle also determines a Māori’s rights to ancestral lands, roles within the iwi and even, historically, potential marriages. With a focus on how individual responsibility intersects with the community, it provides an excellent framework for vocational training schemes.

A nonprofit actively utilizing this dynamic is the Tāwharau Housing Trust, which originated in 2017. It uses the customary acquisition models of the Māori community to teach trades within the construction industry, while also building affordable housing. One can translate ‘Tāwharau’ as the verb “to shelter” or the noun “a shelter,” which encapsulates the overall sustainability of the project as it not only addresses the housing needs of the immediate community, but provides future generations with the skills needed for job security. 

The Rotorua School of Māori Arts and Crafts

Another vocational Māori education scheme in New Zealand is The Rotorua School of Māori Arts and Crafts, which originated in 1926. Translated as “The World of Light,” kinship is built between students and their instructors as they work on projects together such as the building of a meeting house, dining rooms and various other community buildings. Many of their graduates rejoin as staff to train the next generation of Māori carvers in a cyclical pattern not only preserving traditional practices, but also careers which support creative and cultural expression.

The Māori Trade Training Scheme

 Finally, the Māori Trade Training Scheme, which has been operational since the 1960s, led Māori school leavers down vocational pathways by relocating them to specialist training centers. In addition to giving those who grew up in rural communities the opportunity to live in an urban environment, the trades on offer have come to range from carpentry to electrical work and even engineering to name a few.

Looking Ahead

Considering the closure of the Māori Trades and Training Fund on June 30 2025, the future of vocational Māori education in New Zealand is largely dependent on the community’s own self-determination in light of lost government aid. 

– Carys Davies

Carys is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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Understanding Poverty Among the Orang Asli in Malaysia

Orang Asli in MalaysiaOrang Asli is the collective name for the various Indigenous communities in Peninsular Malaysia. Orang Asli is translated as the “original people” in Malay and is used to describe the estimated 18 ethnic groups in Malaysia. The Orang Asli communities have various traditional lifestyles, including hunting and gathering, hill rice cultivation, along with semi-nomadic groups known as the Negritos and coastal fishing communities such as the Orang Seletar and Mah Meri.

Most Orang Asli communities practice subsistence farming with surplus crops sold to neighboring villages to supplement income. Most of these communities depend on the local environment for their lifestyle; local rivers are used for drinking water, agriculture, washing and transport to other communities or urban areas.

The Orang Asli make up 13.8% of Malaysia’s population. Yet, 80% live below the global poverty line. Additionally, the infant mortality rate for the Orang Asli is 51.7% compared to the national Malaysian average of 8.9%, due to inadequate access to health infrastructure.

Land Rights and Environmental Pressures

Orang Asli live on land designated by the Aborigines Act of 1954, which was created under British colonial rule. This act deems that the Malaysian government owns all land. The Orang Alsi are established as “tenants at will” and only given minimal financial compensation for encroachment. Land encroachment forces the Orang Alsi to leave their traditional lifestyle and settle in urban areas.

Government initiatives since the ’60s have focused on integrating the Orang Asli into urban society. Schemes include the introduction of cash crop agriculture and actively discouraging the hunter/gatherer lifestyle that the Orang Asli use. The Orang Asli have a sustainable lifestyle and only take what they need from the surrounding forest, keeping an equilibrium in the areas entrusted to the Orang Asli communities.

This contrasts with harsh economic development practices that have relied on rapid deforestation for monetary gain, causing mudslides, floods and soil erosion. Deforestation to make room for oil palm plantations greatly contributes to the increased poverty levels among the Orang Asli. Palm oil provides 2.5% of Malaysia’s GDP in 2021, with government officials using financial incentives to buy off Orang Asli headmen.

Land inhabited by the Orang Asli is targeted because they lack the means to advocate for themselves. Malaysia’s economic improvement strategies include hydroelectric dams to meet its expectations for renewable energy by 2050. However, it is disrupting the Orang Asli rivers, which hold spiritually significant areas of importance.

Without access to forested regions, the Orang Alsi have their rights to food, clean water and access to health and education infrastructure jeopardized.

Education and Social Marginalization

Many Orang Asli who withdrew from school expressed concerns about the lack of transport, support, and resources to access government-built schools. However, education is a key component of poverty alleviation; without it, many remain unable to improve their living conditions.

The Orang Asli also face cultural marginalization. Their lifestyle is often viewed as primitive by the wider Malaysian government. Deforestation hinders their cultural identity and unique livelihoods and places their entire way of life at risk.

Strategies To Help the Orang Asli Communities in Malaysia

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as Pusat KOMAS in Malaysia raise advocacy for human rights issues surrounding the Orang Asli. It particularly focuses on racial discrimination that the Orang Asli face in wider society. Humanitarian Affairs Asia assembles volunteers to redevelop primary schools for Orang Asli communities, ensuring they are easily accessible.

Furthermore, the Malaysian government launched the Shared Prosperity Vision as a blueprint for 2030. It addresses various social and economic problems affecting the Orang Asli, including welfare assistance, legal protections and reducing inequality within their communities. Financial contributions of $19 million have been allocated to JAKOA (Department of Indigenous People Development) to improve socioeconomic status, such as upgrading existing health facilities.

The Jahai Jeli school scheme is an innovative strategy that targets community inclusion. It uses a culturally receptive school curriculum to foster a collaborative relationship between the school and the wider community. The scheme was a trial project between 2018 and 2020. It showed promising results, including increased Orang Asli involvement at national decision-making levels.

The importance of the Orang Asli maintaining cultural agency, such as preserving their language, religious beliefs and environmental ownership, should coexist within poverty reduction frameworks.

– Liberty Whitford Webb

Liberty is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Indigenous Education in Brazil

indigenous education in brazilIndigenous people make up just 8% of the population in Latin America, but make up 14% of the poor and more than 17% of those living on less than $2.50 a day in the region. Education is an important tool to address this problem, but indigenous people across the region have a lower school attendance rate than their non-indigenous counterparts. They have a lower attendance rate in both primary school and in college/university.  In 2019, Indigenous people’s enrollment in college/university was 32 points lower than that of non-indigenous people in the region.

This difference is bigger in countries such as Brazil, which have small, diverse, and scattered indigenous populations. As of 2010, 83% of indigenous children ages 6 to 11 attended school compared to 97% of non-indigenous children in that age range. For children between the ages of 12 to 18, 74% of indigenous children attended school compared to 84% of non-indigenous children, according to the World Bank. Indigenous children living in urban areas are more likely to be attending school than indigenous children living in rural areas. Further, indigenous women tend to have attended fewer years of school than indigenous men.

Indigenous Education in Brazil

Indigenous education in Brazil has gone through several phases. The first phase was pre-colonial. The second phase started in the 16th century when the Portuguese colonized the land and people. The goal of the phase was to assimilate indigenous people and impose on them Western values and Christianity. Phase three started in the late 18th century. Its main goal was to integrate indigenous people into society as laborers. Phase four started in the 1970s as indigenous people mobilized for their rights.

Brazil approved a new constitution in 1988 that recognized indigenous identities and the right they have to maintain them, and that the Brazilian State must protect the cultural manifestations of indigenous communities. It also gave indigenous people the right to intercultural, specific, differentiated, and bilingual school education.

Today, there are about 305 different Indigenous peoples living in Brazil, making up around 1.7 million people, or 0.8% of Brazil’s population. About half of them live outside of the Amazon rainforest. There are more than 150 languages in Brazil, and almost all Brazilians speak Portuguese. White people have completed two and a half years more of education than indigenous Brazilians. The language of instruction in primary public schools is usually Brazilian Portuguese, although schools in some regions also use indigenous languages. Although indigenous people have a constitutional right to use their own languages and learning methods in schools, only a few states and cities have incorporated native languages.

This is important not only because it is a right but also because in the region as a whole, the more years of education an indigenous person has, the less likely they are to speak their native language, the World Bank reports.

Indigenous Schools in Brazil

Indigenous schools are educational institutions located in indigenous villages and territories, run by indigenous people and guided by their customs and traditions. The Federal Ministry of Education offers indigenous school education, which differs as it is basic education that teaches both non-indigenous and indigenous knowledge. Indigenous schools have four main principles, according to a University of Florence article. They exclusively serve indigenous communities, teaching is in their native language, it is located on indigenous land, and they organize themselves and what they teach.

As of 2020, there are 3,359 indigenous schools in Brazil, with most students (166,546) being in the elementary level, according to a University of Florence article. Indigenous schools provide a type of education that mixes formal education standards with indigenous culture and knowledge, allowing indigenous children to both navigate Brazilian society and stay close to their history and community.

Affirmative Action in Brazil

In 2003, a university in Brazil implemented affirmative action for the first time. By 2011, 115 different public universities had enacted some kind of affirmative action policies. In 2012, the Supreme Court of Brazil ruled that affirmative action policies were constitutional. That same year, the Brazilian Congress passed a law requiring all federal higher education institutions in the country to implement affirmative action policies. The law requires public universities to reserve half of their places for students from public schools, ensuring an equal proportion for mixed-race, Black, and indigenous students. This had a large effect on indigenous education in Brazil.

Affirmative action has been crucial for indigenous students. It has helped increase the number of indigenous people going to university. Something especially important given that historically, universities in Brazil have underrepresented indigenous people. Students who enter university through affirmative action have educational results very similar to students who do not, according to Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) article. A case study of one university found that as of 2018, the dropout rate among students who entered through affirmative action was 38.1% compared to 31.8% of students who entered through general admission.

The Future of Indigenous Education in Brazil

Brazil made significant progress in indigenous education, but further improvements are still necessary. Many indigenous schools lack quality teaching equipment and underfunded infrastructure. There is also a lack of quality training for indigenous teachers. Especially for indigenous women, as they are disproportionately unrepresented among the number of indigenous teachers.

As for higher education, affirmative action has helped indigenous people get into university. Once universities admit indigenous students, they often underserve them. There is a need for specialized mental health services, more awareness about indigenous students among administrators, and a diversification of what is taught to include indigenous perspectives, according to a UFRJ article. There is also a need for more indigenous professors. Further, because many indigenous students come from lower-income families, there is a need for financial aid, especially given that lack of sufficient finances is one of the main reasons students drop out.

– Axtin Bullock

Axtin is based in Georgetown MA, USA and focuses on Technology and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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SDG 15 in Chile: The Indigenous-led Restoration

SDG 15 in ChileThe Sustainable Development Goal 15 (SDG 15) – Life on Land– has taken center stage in Chile. Changing weather patterns have impacted Chile’s unique and rugged landscapes. Despite economic growth in Chile due to mining, agriculture and logging, the environmental impacts have become rapidly apparent. The retreat of the Great Andean Glaciers and the simultaneous destruction of the ancient Araucania region by forest fires and logging have forced the Chilean ecosystem to reach instability and increasing environmental pressure. The Chilean government is relying on a major joint indigenous and international cooperation to carry out national strategies to quell the escalating pressures on Chilean ecosystems and address SDG 15 in Chile.

The Crucial Nature of SDG 15 in Chile 

The U.N.’s SDG 15 looks to tackle biodiversity loss and degraded ecosystems, and promote the sustainable use of ecosystems across the globe. Chile is home to more than 40% of the world’s temperate rainforests, Ancient Araucania regions, unique species of flora and fauna and one of the largest glacier networks across the Southern Hemisphere. For the nation and the wider network of interconnected peoples and systems, there is a hard-line policy change vital to promote a healthy change.  

The National Strategy on Climate Change and Vegetation Resources (ENCCRV), a government initiative focused on restoring landscapes and promoting inclusive environmental governance, is the beating heart of Chile’s SDG 15 policies.

The Ancient Araucania Forest: The Indigenous Devotion

The legendary Araucania region represents the core of the battle taking place, to promote the SDG 15 strategy, spearheaded by the indigenous Mapuche and Huilliche communities. The indigenous people have been the one consistent organization advocating for change. Now, with a dedicated United Nations agenda, the indigenous, national organizations and international initiatives have joined forces to stabilize the region. 

Through the ENCCRV and REDD+ (U.N. Framework), Chile has supported 861 community-led projects, which have helped restore more than 14,000 hectares of native forest since 2020. Due to the historic tensions between the indigenous and Chilean government, these reforestation projects vitally serve as a cultural revival, and a symbol of diplomacy regarding land rights. 

On Huapi Island, Mapuche-Huilliche leaders are replanting native tree species like the Laurelia sempervirens on a massive scale to continue the stabilization of the ecosystem and reestablish the culturally significant landscapes that define the region. Much of the ecological knowledge that is required for the planting, cultivation, and maintenance of the native species is passed down via generations of Mapuche-Huilliche families. In 2016, the establishment of the ENCCRV, to support SDG 15 in Chile, incorporated indigenous ecological knowledge within the frameworks of national environmental policy, a signifier of the cultural shift taking place within Chile, regarding both the environment and indigenous relations. 

According to the U.N., more than 2,000 indigenous people, including many women, have participated directly in ENCRVV-supported projects. These projects include the Recovery of the Native Forest on Huapi Island, Ecological Restoration across La Araucania and Los Andes, +Bosques Landscape-wide Implementation and the Villarrica National Park Co-governance agreement. These are all frameworks in which indigenous communities work in tandem with national organizations to tackle environmental instability across Chile.

Geoparks and Poverty Reduction

SDG-15 in Chile continues its permeance through Chilean culture with the establishment of a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2019. Inside Chile’s Araucania region, the Kutralkura Geopark spans more than 8,100 km², including vast forestry, rivers and volcanoes. Since earning this UNESCO status, Kutralkura has become a strong symbol of indigenous leadership, working in tandem with government and international organizations to cultivate environmental conservation. However, its impact does not end there. Since 2019, the region has supplied strength to local communities, becoming a beacon of poverty reduction and economic prosperity. 

Sustainable agroforestry, tourism and artisan enterprises continue to support upwards of 55,000 local inhabitants. Geotourism services, supplied by locals who are uniquely engaged with the surrounding areas, offer guides and cultural tours to both international tourists and those of Chilean descent. The indigenous locals are incentivized to pass down and maintain knowledge of the vast environment, simultaneously raising awareness among Chilean populations about the key importance of the Geopark, and its link to the wider sustainability of both Chile’s intertwined ecosystems and economies.

In 2023, a project engaging Mapuche girls in volcanology education, led by female Chilean scientists, aimed to develop an educational volcanology guide with a gender focus. This initiative was designed to meld scientific knowledge with indigenous world views to boost disaster preparedness and safety, and bolster environmental awareness. 

In September 2025, the people of Temuco City, Chile will host the 11th International Conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks, once again highlighting the SDG-15 in Chile and the proud impact it has had on the indigenous peoples, both directly and indirectly. This will not only improve environmental preservation, but also bolster indigenous involvement in local government policy, international recognition and economic prosperity for multiple indigenous communities. 

Final Thoughts

Environmental sustainability in Chile is not only an ecological necessity but also a pathway out of poverty for many vulnerable communities. Deforestation, soil erosion and forest fires have historically threatened rural livelihoods, particularly for indigenous families who depend on agriculture, forestry and small-scale tourism for survival. By restoring native forests, promoting sustainable agroforestry and expanding ecotourism initiatives, Chile’s SDG 15 programs create stable sources of income that reduce reliance on extractive industries. These initiatives give families more secure access to food, jobs and education, while also protecting ecosystems that future generations will depend on. As Chile continues to align its environmental goals with poverty reduction strategies, it offers a model for how sustainable development can uplift communities while safeguarding the planet.

– Luis-Enrique J Lander

Luis-Enrique is based in Leeds, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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Accessible Health Care for Indigenous People in Paraguay

Accessible Health Care Improving for Indigenous People in Paraguay Paraguay has a long history of insecurity in various forms, particularly within Indigenous communities. About 88% of the Indigenous population lives in rural areas that are difficult to access. Due to poor living conditions, such as dirt floors and a lack of running or clean water, diseases like tuberculosis (TB) and other non-communicable diseases are extremely common.

Poverty Leads to Sickness

TB is a disease that is highly concentrated among Indigenous communities, who face a greater risk of contracting it due to ongoing displacement and exclusion from health care and other essential services. These issues are further worsened by food insecurity, inadequate housing and limited access to health care. More than a quarter of Paraguay’s population falls under the national poverty line, which puts people at a greater risk of TB, as well as many other infectious and non-communicable diseases.

Expanding Access to Health Care

In 2023, Paraguay’s Ministry of Health launched a partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and World Health Organization (WHO) to improve access to health care for Indigenous communities. PAHO and WHO made progress through their initiative, Expanding Access to and Quality of Primary Health Care and Integrated Health Services in the XIV Health Region, aimed at enhancing health services and increasing access for Indigenous People in Paraguay.

An outpatient care day event was held to encourage dialogue between health care providers and Indigenous People in Paraguay about the range of available health services through “outreach activities”. The program has also incorporated safeguards and adaptations for certain ancestral practices, such as “horizontal birthing”, to provide more culturally appropriate care. Home births remain the most common among pregnant women, typically with a midwife rather than in a hospital, which raises health concerns and increases the risk of infection.

Technological Innovations

The PAHO/WHO initiative helped to support a “geospatial analysis” device, used to “monitor and manage health services”. This tool has been installed and used in more than 900 Family Health facilities in rural areas of Paraguay. It has improved “service management” by recognizing areas with poor access to health services and locations of at-risk populations. It combines geographical data with “health-service planning,” which in turn helps to distribute resources more effectively.

Health Care Education

Public health training courses held by the Ministry of Public Health, with support from PAHO/WHO, helped improve health care workers’ response to epidemic outbreaks such as TB. The training enabled workers to recognize symptoms quickly, respond appropriately and treat cases effectively, helping to control the spread of these diseases. As a result, preventive actions for various illnesses have greatly improved.

Progress in Motion

The partnership between PAHO/WHO and Paraguay’s Ministry of Health has greatly improved not only the presence of health care and made it more accessible, but also visibility for the indigenous communities. Additionally, it has allowed the Indigenous People in Paraguay to become aware of the facilities that have become accessible to them. Overall, the health system is becoming increasingly supported and reinforced by these improvements and continues to get better each day.

– Bowie Aldrich

Bowie is based in North Syracuse, NY, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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An Inside Look at Homelessness in New Caledonia

Homelessness in New CaledoniaWith crystal-clear blue waters, white sand beaches and lush pine forests, New Caledonia seems like a picture-perfect island getaway. However, beneath its stunning facade lies a drastic social divide that has led to widespread poverty and homelessness for the indigenous residents of New Caledonia.

Meet the Kanaks

Today, New Caledonia is a French territory made up of dozens of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, known for its stunning lagoons, abundant nickel reserves and diverse wildlife. But centuries before the first tourists came to explore its vibrant coastlines and reefs, Kanaks inhabited the nation.

The Kanaks are an indigenous group with customs deeply rooted in Melanesian culture. The early Kanak lifestyle largely revolved around tribal relations and farming the land, commonly harvesting native crops such as bananas, yams and sweet potatoes. However, European settlers, who first arrived in the late 18th century and increased significantly during the nickel boom of the 1960s, disrupted their peaceful existence.

Life for the c

Within a period of less than 200 years, the Kanak saw their land being taken away and opportunities for economic development severely limited. Homelessness in New Caledonia, particularly for indigenous groups like the Kanak, increased exponentially due to bias from European settlers. Examples of this discriminatory behavior include the French government barring the Kanaks from living in the capital city of Nouméa and denying them government roles in favor of their French counterparts.

Over time, unfair laws like these decreased quality of life for the Kanaks. While the Kanak are the largest ethnic group in New Caledonia, European migrants own approximately two-thirds of the land. Additionally, the poverty rate among indigenous Kanaks is 32.5%, which is nearly four times higher than that of non-Kanak people, as reported by Swissinfo, a Switzerland-based international news corporation.

Homelessness Among the Kanaks

While there is not an exact number for the rate of homelessness in New Caledonia, it presents a pressing issue for countless modern-day Kanaks. According to Le Monde Diplomatique, a French political newspaper, close to 10,000 Kanaks currently live in “squats” in the city of Noúmea, which are crude huts that lack water and electricity.

 In rural villages, where the majority of Kanaks live, housing is similarly lacking. Families often reside in cramped government-subsidized housing or traditional huts, which cultivate a sense of closeness and community as they go about their day-to-day life.

As opposed to city-going Kanaks, who often work laborious service jobs to make a living, rural Kanaks start their day early to fish and harvest crops. After a  communal prayer, which draws from both Catholic and indigenous faith, the family comes together to dine on seafood, root vegetables and tropical fruit. The rest of the day is spent completing essential tasks, with men hunting and fishing and women cleaning and caring for children.

While the rural Kanaks’ daily routine has remained unchanged through centuries of colonization and industrialization, recent events threaten to end their traditional lifestyle. An increase in urban development that prioritizes French citizens over Kanaks is forcing many indigenous citizens into homelessness and poverty, necessitating immediate action.

A Brighter Future 

Homelessness suffered by the indigenous residents of New Caledonia is not going unnoticed. In 2019, politician Milakulo Tukumuli founded the Oceanian Awakening political party, whose goals include providing adequate housing to the squatters in Noúmea and closing the wealth gap between the rich and poor. Since its inception, it has secured three of the 54 seats in the New Caledonian Congress, demonstrating a promising outlook for minority rights in national politics.

As the Oceanian Awakening party continues to gain more influence, the French government is also looking for ways to collaborate with Kanak natives to resolve housing issues. Urban planning experts Céline Cassourret and Irène Salenson suggest that French government officials and Kanak cultural leaders work together to equally redistribute land. By giving Kanaks the territory and funds needed to build adequate housing, the nation can effectively resolve land tenure inequality and eliminate Kanak homelessness.

On a larger scale, action is occurring to secure rights for the Kanak community and other indigenous groups in the Pacific. Mark Brown, the chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), stated that he supports the movement to obtain “greater autonomy and independence” for native New Caledonians. Given the PIF’s role as an influential peacekeeping force for islands in the southwest Pacific, their ongoing support will hopefully encourage nearby territories to advocate for Kanak rights.

Looking Ahead

One can trace homelessness in New Caledonia, particularly in minority groups such as the Kanak, back to colonial-era discrimination and suppression. However, with support from neighboring islands, land redistribution and advocacy for Kanak rights, it is possible to right the wrongs for the indigenous peoples. Reform is on the horizon for the citizens of New Caledonia, and it has the potential to change countless lives for the better.

– Grace Gonzalez

Grace is based in Oakton, VA, USA and focuses on Business and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Amazon Deforestation Undermines Indigenous Rights in Brazil

Indigenous Rights in BrazilBrazil shares a complex history with its indigenous population that spans centuries. The country contains approximately 60% of the Amazon rainforest and houses around 305 indigenous tribes. Throughout the 20th century, the intersection of indigenous rights, natural resource management and economic development has been navigated in Brazil.

Background to Indigenous Rights in Brazil

Brazilian policy aimed to balance development needs with indigenous rights and environmental protection. This approach shifted dramatically in 1964 when military forces successfully staged a coup and established a dictatorship.

Almost immediately after seizing power, the regime prioritized economic growth through large-scale development projects. The government built highways, including the Trans-Amazonian road, promoted colonization programs, and opened the Amazon to mining, logging and agribusiness operations.

Officials adopted slogans such as “Integrar para não entregar” (“Integrate to avoid surrender”). This phrase reflected the regime’s belief that Brazil needed to occupy the Amazon to protect national interests. These policies brought severe consequences for indigenous communities.

Twenty-one years later, the military dictatorship was toppled and Brazil transitioned back into a democracy. When the democratic constitution was still in progress, indigenous advocates and allies, including the Catholic Church’s Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI), had lobbied vigorously to enshrine indigenous rights to their ancestral lands. “CIMI has become one of the most important defenders of indigenous rights, focusing on land rights, self-organisation and health care in indigenous territories.”

Feasting on the Amazon

Reestablishing democracy and constitutional protections has not resolved these issues. Subsequent administrations continue to face pressure to accelerate economic growth in the Amazon interior. This development drives deforestation and displaces indigenous communities. Agribusiness and logging operations systematically destroy public and indigenous Amazon lands. The state of Rondônia exemplifies this pattern with one of Brazil’s highest deforestation rates.

The Pastoral Land Commission, which advocates for environmental protection through the Brazilian Catholic Church, documented increased violence linked to logging activities.

“Poor people who effectively produce on their small lands are systematically persecuted, expelled, threatened or killed in the interest of real estate speculation,” Raphael Bevilaqua, the Commission’s attorney in Rondônia wrote.

Global demand for cheap coffee, meat, and soy incentivizes these developments. Multinational corporate giants such as McDonalds, Sysco, JBS Foods  and Wal-Mart actively benefit from land seizure and repurposing it for cattle use, according to Protean. One Brazilian journalist writes, “Both these broader incentives and direct investment have helped facilitate the Amazon’s destruction and promoted abuses against Indigenous peoples.”

Displacing the Kayapó and the Cost of Energy

One example of this dynamic is the construction of the Belo-Monte dam. The Brazilian government began to implement plans to construct hydroelectric dams on the Xingu River, in northern Brazil. In response, hundreds of Indigenous leaders from the Xingu basin – Kayapó, Juruna, Arara, and others – united in the town of Altamira for a historic protest meeting, the first of its kind. Completing the dam would effectively destroy the livelihoods of thousands as well as increase the risk of flooding villages.

Riding the 1989  global wave of protests, indigenous communities in the Amazon leveraged the rare opportunity to take their grievances to an international audience. Around the world, people responded with ardent pressure against the dam’s construction. The public outcry eventually led the World Bank to pull out of financing its construction. Eventually, the Brazilian government capitulated, a watershed moment. For the first time the indigenous peoples were successful in halting the destruction of ancestral land.

Reversing the Victory

Rising electricity demands coupled with public consciousness favoring cleaner solutions, lead to the dam’s construction entering the public dialogue once again. Indigenous communities began to coalesce: organizing protests, filing lawsuits, and lobbying FUNAI (analogous to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the U.S.) against the construction. Even Sting, the British rockstar who headlined The Police, joined in their movement.

The construction went ahead in 2010 and five years later, the Brazilian government, facing substantial domestic and international scrutiny, launched an investigation into the dam’s construction. Investigation found that the dam’s main contractor, Norte Energia, had committed serious federal crimes. “In December, Brazil’s Public Federal Ministry, an independent state body, started legal proceedings to have it recognized that the crime of ‘ethnocide’ was committed against seven Indigenous groups during the building of the Belo Monte dam.”

Cautious Optimism

One tribe, the Kayapó, have been particularly vocal in halting plans to construct further dams in the region. In 2016, they scored a rare legal victory when a federal judge halted the construction of an expansion project.

The dam’s future remains uncertain as energy conglomerates and indigenous communities clash in the court system. Under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, indigenous rights in Brazil have been given more consideration, but not concrete action. As of May 2025, no further construction has been initiated as the decision on construction rests with IBAMA (environmental regulation agency) to approve or deny the dam’s license.

Indigenous communities have once again banded together to oppose further degradation of the river. The Kayapaó have been successful in obtaining legal support from the Brazilian federal public defender’s office.

Advocates abroad like AIDA America and the Rainforest Foundation, are seeking to replicate the successful international pressure campaign of 1989 by amplifying indigenous voices to a global

audience.

The Future

As public awareness grows, advocacy networks are mobilizing and Indigenous leaders remain steadfast, placing Brazil at a pivotal moment. The impending decision on the dam is no longer just a yes-or-no vote—it is a chance to prove that economic growth can align with environmental stewardship.

– Max Marcello

Max is based in Pittsburgh, PA, USA and focuses on Good News and Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How Intercultural Education in Bolivia Can Help Alleviate Poverty

intercultural Education in BoliviaThere are 36 officially recognized Indigenous peoples in Bolivia, and according to a 2021 national survey, 41% of Bolivians over the age of 15 identify as Indigenous. Despite Bolivia establishing relative economic stability since the COVID-19 pandemic, native rural communities are still disproportionately affected by deprivation, with a poverty rate 20% higher than that of urban areas, as well as struggles with underrepresentation and exclusion from services. Cycles of poverty within Indigenous communities can often happen due to educational inequalities since there is not enough access to native language instruction.

Intercultural education recognizes cultural and linguistic diversity, as well as ensures all learners have the right to communicate in their native language. Thanks to various strategies, legal reforms and programs, the implementation of intercultural education in Bolivia helped improve outcomes, preserve identities and promote inclusion among rural communities.

Bolivia: A Plurinational Nation

Bolivia’s 2009 constitution declared the country a plurinational state and officially recognized 36 Indigenous languages. This signalled a step forward in the decolonization of Bolivia, as the document also guaranteed rights to “autonomy, self-government, their culture and recognition of their institutions” for Indigenous populations. The constitution also emphasises education in Bolivia as universal, intercultural and free in Article 17.

Following the 2009 constitution and its emphasis on education, the government introduced Law 070 in 2010 to promote multilingual, intracultural and intercultural education in Bolivia. This meant that a multilingual model replaced the bilingual model, so English, Spanish and an Indigenous language became part of the national curriculum.

However, the implementation of complete intercultural education in Bolivia poses a network of challenges. Some of these challenges include insufficient time allocated to native languages, a lack of native-speaking teachers and an inadequate understanding of socio-cultural and regional contexts.

Improving Educational Outcomes

In addition to constitutional and legal reforms, various organizations are working to improve opportunities for Indigenous peoples through multilingual and intercultural education in Bolivia. The Programa Amazónico de Educación Intercultural Bilingüe (PAEIB) has been promoting an intercultural bilingual approach to education in the Amazon and lowland region since 2006. PAEIB provides scholarships and supplies materials to primary schools across Indigenous regions, including dictionaries, learning units, songbooks and teaching guides. Not only does this supply of materials ensure that schools have the necessary equipment to teach native languages, but it also adapts and complements the curriculum towards Indigenous cultures.

Similarly, Fe y Alegría Bolivia promotes quality education for excluded populations. Fe y Alegría manages 398 educational centres across Bolivia (including specialised services for children with learning and hearing disabilities), benefiting 173,518 students and employing 9,384 teachers and administrators. The education centres focus on relevant and contextualised learning by adopting a learning model based on the knowledge and practices of rural Indigenous communities, meaning that the curriculum responds to the socio-cultural contexts of its students and helps to preserve their cultural identities.

Preserving Cultural Identities

With around 30 indigenous languages in danger of extinction, Bilingual Nests is preserving the identities of marginalized groups by revitalizing native languages nationwide. The program has been working since 2014 to prevent language extinction and impacted 2,314 children in 2021.

Bilingual Nests targets children under the age of four to maximise acquisition and adapt their approach depending on whether or not a child’s relatives or caregivers are native speakers. If they are, daily communication and instructions using the native language are encouraged, as well as family and community meetups, in order for the child to naturally build a linguistic foundation. If neither a primary caregiver nor a grandparent can oversee language transition, childcare facilities primarily use Indigenous languages during instructions and activities.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Bilingual Nests recognized inequalities regarding internet access and remote learning across Indigenous communities in Bolivia and subsequently developed both print and digital materials to continue running the program in rural communities. With the help of funding from UNICEF, Bilingual Nests hopes to continue expanding its strategies into more rural areas where native languages are at risk of extinction.

Funding and prioritization of native languages in the national curriculum are crucial in order for the 2009 Constitution’s promises of intercultural education in Bolivia to materialize.

– Clodagh Dowson

Clodagh is based in Wiltshire, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Indigenous Poverty in Colombia

An Overview of Indigenous Poverty in ColombiaAs of 2018, approximately 1.9 million Indigenous people live in Colombia. According to ABColombia, nearly half of them experience extreme poverty, while more than 60% of Colombia’s total population lives below the poverty line. Indigenous communities face distinct and deeply entrenched barriers that perpetuate this inequality, often tied to conflict, displacement and discrimination.

Armed Conflict and Displacement

Colombia has endured decades of armed conflict, beginning in 1964 with the emergence of guerrilla groups such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN). Though a peace agreement was signed with the FARC in 2016, violence and displacement remain ongoing challenges.

Indigenous communities are particularly vulnerable in this context. Due to their geographic isolation and limited political representation, many Indigenous families live in conflict zones and face territorial disputes involving armed actors. ABColombia reports that more than 300 Indigenous people have been forcibly displaced in recent years. Children from these communities also face heightened risk: since 2016, more than 8,000 Indigenous children have been forcibly recruited by armed groups.

Systemic Discrimination and Rights Violations

Historical discrimination continues to affect Indigenous people in Colombia. Though the 1991 Constitution officially recognized their rights, enforcement remains inconsistent. Many Indigenous groups still face exclusion from decision-making and public services.

Land dispossession, threats and attacks against community leaders persist. Advocacy for Indigenous rights can be dangerous: in 2023, Colombia recorded 142 killings of human rights defenders, nearly half the global total. Indigenous advocates are among those most frequently targeted. The violence impedes community organizing, weakens support networks and perpetuates cycles of poverty.

Pathways to Support and Development

Despite the challenges, organizations across Colombia are working to support Indigenous communities and reduce poverty. Targeted assistance and advocacy are essential to improve living conditions and ensure access to education, health care and legal protection.

  • Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund(SCIAF). Originally founded in 1985, SCIAF supports Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities by strengthening disaster resilience, land rights and access to basic services.
  • International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs(IWGIA).  IWGIA promotes Indigenous rights and self-determination. In Colombia and other Southern American countries, it focuses on land rights and gender equity among Indigenous women.
  • Amnesty International. This organization funds campaigns and provides research to help minority groups in different countries. In Colombia, Amnesty International defends the rights of Indigenous groups threatened by armed conflict, displacement and violence.

Looking Ahead

Efforts to reduce Indigenous poverty in Colombia increasingly involve strengthening local governance, education access and legal land rights. According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), land tenure security is a key catalyst for multiple benefits in poverty eradication, food security and nutrition. Expanding such measures in Colombia offers a pathway for enhancing economic stability while protecting cultural heritage. National and international programs continue to support civil society participation, territorial autonomy and rural development. Long-term improvements in these areas remain tied to sustained investment, enforcement of existing protections and collaboration with Indigenous-led organizations.

– Jose Gabriel Lopez

Jose is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr