ASPECTOS LEGALES Y INSTITUCIONALES DEL RECONOCIMIENTO Y APOYO A LA CONSERVACIÓN POR PARTE DE PUEBLOS INDÍGENAS Y COMUNIDADES LOCALES

This briefing by Natural Justice analyzes the legal and institutional frameworks affecting Territories and Areas of Conservation by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (TICCAs). It examines the gap between international human rights standards and national implementation, highlighting how fragmented laws and a lack of recognition for customary land rights undermine the ability of Indigenous and local communities to maintain the ecological integrity of their territories.

• TICCAs are defined as natural or modified ecosystems with significant biodiversity and cultural values, voluntarily conserved by Indigenous peoples and local communities through customary laws or other effective means.
• There are three primary categories of external threats to TICCAs: systemic global environmental pressures (such as climate change and habitat loss), direct pressures from industrial extraction and development, and a widespread lack of effective recognition of inherent rights to self-determination and customary land tenure.
• While international instruments and regional court rulings increasingly support Indigenous rights, these legal tools remain fragmented and disconnected, often forcing communities to renegotiate the same rights across different forums.
• National legal systems often discriminate against TICCAs through a lack of meaningful community involvement in legislation, inadequate implementation of existing laws, and the prioritization of industrial resource extraction over customary rights.
• A critical barrier to TICCA integrity is the lack of recognition for customary land tenure, particularly in Africa, where millions of rural inhabitants lack secure land rights, leaving communal resources like forests and grazing lands vulnerable to state allocation to corporations.
• State-led protected area frameworks often conflict with TICCAs by imposing 'top-down' management and prohibiting traditional resource use, which can lead to the deterioration of traditional knowledge and community cohesion.
• Non-legal recognition and support—including administrative programs, financial aid, and social awards—can be vital for TICCAs, but these are often absent, weak, or inappropriately designed by ignoring gender and cultural specificities.
• The document recommends that governments reform national laws to respect self-determination, recognize collective land titles, and ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for any projects affecting Indigenous territories.

APA

Natural Justice (n.d.). ASPECTOS LEGALES Y INSTITUCIONALES DEL RECONOCIMIENTO Y APOYO A LA CONSERVACIÓN POR PARTE DE PUEBLOS INDÍGENAS Y COMUNIDADES LOCALES. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/International-Law-and-Jurisprudence-Spanish.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. ASPECTOS LEGALES Y INSTITUCIONALES DEL RECONOCIMIENTO Y APOYO A LA CONSERVACIÓN POR PARTE DE PUEBLOS INDÍGENAS Y COMUNIDADES LOCALES. n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/International-Law-and-Jurisprudence-Spanish.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=ASPECTOS LEGALES Y INSTITUCIONALES DEL RECONOCIMIENTO Y APOYO A LA CONSERVACIÓN POR PARTE DE PUEBLOS INDÍGENAS Y COMUNIDADES LOCALES |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/International-Law-and-Jurisprudence-Spanish.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljusticendaspectos, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{ASPECTOS LEGALES Y INSTITUCIONALES DEL RECONOCIMIENTO Y APOYO A LA CONSERVACIÓN POR PARTE DE PUEBLOS INDÍGENAS Y COMUNIDADES LOCALES}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/International-Law-and-Jurisprudence-Spanish.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }