Environmental and Collective Rights: Differences between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous ngo s Involved with the United Nations Human Rights Council

What is it about?

This paper looks at how Indigenous and non-Indigenous non-governmental organizations (NGOs) talk about the environment and the rights of communities. These groups often work together in transnational advocacy networks, and this study examined organizations affiliated with the UN Human Rights Council. We found differences between these types of organizations in the focus of their advocacy, as well as how they conceptualize issues related to the environment and collective rights. These differences were most prominent in the ways groups discussed people’s relationship with the environment. Many Indigenous organizations viewed the relationship as one of equals, whereas non-Indigenous and African Indigenous groups emphasized the importance of human ownership and stewardship over land.

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