This project is a transdisciplinary, community-engaged research initiative aimed at documenting, analyzing, and promoting the emancipatory knowledges and autonomy strategies of Indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples in Central America. It focuses on understanding the legal and political strategies that Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities use to assert self-governance and territorial rights. The project involves three case-study regions: southern Costa Rica (Brunca peoples), Panama (Guna peoples), and the San Andres Archipelago (Raizal peoples of Colombia).
Objectives
A. Innovative Self-Governance Models
The project explores the various forms of autonomous self-governance systems developed by Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities in response to legal and political pressures. These systems include both formal and informal structures, enabling communities to assert greater control over their territories and resources.
B. Territorial and Maritime Tenure Rights
This strand focuses on the struggles for legal recognition of territorial and maritime rights. Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities often face challenges in protecting their traditional lands and waters from external threats, such as resource extraction and state interventions. The project will document and support efforts to secure these rights, emphasizing resource governance strategies that reflect the communities’ knowledge and traditions.
C. Legal and Legislative Frameworks
The project will analyze domestic and international legislation, particularly focusing on rulings from the Inter-American Human Rights System (IAHRS), to understand how these legal tools can be leveraged to advance Indigenous and Afro-descendant self-determination. By examining successful court cases and legal frameworks, the project aims to provide tools for communities to assert their rights more effectively.
Purpose and Expected Impact
The ultimate goal of the project is to enhance the legal and political capacity of Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities in Central America to assert their rights to self-determination and territorial autonomy. By providing training, producing research, and advocating for policy changes, the project aims to Strengthen local governance systems by documenting and disseminating best practices in autonomous governance and resource management, Influence national and regional public policy by producing actionable research that can be used by CSOs and government agencies to improve the recognition and implementation of Indigenous and Afro-descendant rights, empower the next generation of Indigenous and Afro-descendant leaders by offering legal training and mentorship in advocacy strategies and create a lasting knowledge repository through the Indigenous Data Repository (IDR), which will serve as a resource for communities, researchers, and policymakers.
This project will make a significant contribution to the struggle for self-determination in Central America, providing both academic insights and practical tools for advancing the rights of Indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples. Through collaboration with local communities and international partners, it aims to create sustainable, community-led solutions to the challenges of autonomy and resource governance.
Project Timeline
Year 1
Development of Community Engagement Plans (CEPs) with each CSO partner to define research questions, activities, and priorities. Initial fieldwork will begin, focusing on data collection and relationship-building with communities.
Year 2
Focus on capacity-building workshops in the three regions, aimed at training community leaders and youth in legal advocacy and resource governance. The **Indigenous Data Repository (IDR) will be established to document and share governance practices, land tenure strategies, and court cases relevant to the communities
Year 3
Completion of data analysis and publication of academic articles and policy briefs. A final workshop will be held in Costa Rica to share research findings and engage stakeholders, including government representatives, civil society organizations, and international bodies.
Desk research (Objectives 1, 4, & 6)
Co-design & pilot Indigenous Data Repository (Objectives 5)
Co-design CEPs
In the field: 35 days
Engaging with three Indigenous and Afro-decendant communities through field research and knowledge exchange (Objectives 2, 3, 7 & 8)
In the field: 25 days
Knowledge mobilization & dissemination activities (Objectives 9); full set of strategies and actions are in KMb Plan
In the field: 25 days