The Indigenous Women’s movement has transcended borders and established itself as a global force for resistance and transformation. What were once isolated voices are now part of an international network that unites women leaders from Latin America, Africa, Asia, and other parts of the world. This convergence has allowed indigenous women not only to be heard, but also to set the agenda for discussions on rights, territories, and climate justice. This is our women’s movement: a global network born of ancestry, sustained by collectivity, and projected into the future with concrete proposals for life and climate justice.
At the Fourth Indigenous Women’s March in Brazil, women leaders from various countries, including Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Philippines, Honduras, Suriname, Guyana, Zimbabwe, and Kenya, and from multiple territories, ecosystems, biomes, languages, cultures, and traditions, gathered to share experiences, highlight common challenges, and reaffirm that the defense of bodies and territories is inseparable. This ancestral space of resistance opened up the possibility of dialogue based on our realities and knowledge, strengthening the international influence of indigenous women and placing our proposals at the center of global debates.
From this articulation emerged the Indigenous Women’s Letter to the World, a historic document that brings together our voices, struggles, and demands. The letter is the result of a collective process that demands equality, respect, recognition, and the urgent understanding that there is no climate justice without indigenous women.
Today, this letter is presented as a call to the world: to States, international organizations, and global civil society to recognize and guarantee the rights of indigenous women and their fundamental role in protecting life and the planet. It is a testimony to a movement that is growing, strengthening, and will continue to lead the way toward a just and sustainable future for all.
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Our Commitment to Peoples, Our Territories, Planet, and Partnership: A Unified Path to COP30 and Beyond
From May 26 to 30, 2025, we, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities from the world’s major tropical forest basins, gathered in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, for the First Global Congress of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities from the Forest Basins.
Rooted in the wisdom of our ancestors and the strength of our territories, we came together to build a common voice and a shared vision for the future. The result is this declaration – a living document of our commitments, our demands, and our solutions in the face of the global climate and biodiversity crises.
Photo: @tukuma_pataxoPhoto: @tukuma_pataxoPhoto: @Norlando MezaPhoto: @Norlando Meza
The Brazzaville Declaration is more than words; it is a call for recognition, respect, and partnership. As the world prepares for COP30 and beyond, we remind global leaders that Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities leadership is essential to restoring balance to the planet.
Read and share our declaration. The future begins in our territories.
From the heart of the Amazon to the living forests of the Congo Basin, from the sacred woodlands of Mesoamerica to the islands and jungles of Southeast Asia, we are preparing to come together as one voice, one territory, one struggle.
From May 26 to 30, 2025, we will gather in Brazzaville to hold the First Global Congress of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities of the World’s Forest Basins—a landmark space for unity, strategy, and territorial leadership.
This Congress is more than an event: It is a vital opportunity to strengthen our global alliance to protect the forests that sustain the balance of the planet. It is a time to align our agendas, exchange grounded solutions from our territories, and bring our priorities directly to COP30 in Belém do Pará, Brazil.
We know there can be no climate solution without us Indigenous Peoples and local communities. We are the ones protecting the forests that store carbon, safeguard biodiversity, and preserve life and culture. But we are also the ones facing growing threats: land grabbing, criminalization, false climate solutions, and the lack of direct funding and meaningful participation.
Why this congress matters
We know that when our communities hold the rights to our territories, forests thrive. We are the most effective protectors of the world’s last standing forests, yet we continue to be excluded from the decisions that shape our future.
This Congress sends a clear message to world leaders: we are not asking for space, we are claiming it. We are no longer accepting symbolic inclusion. We are organizing for real power, direct financing, legal recognition, and territorial security—because our forests, cultures, and rights are not negotiable.
“It is time to humanize climate processes. Our territories are not carbon credits. They are life, balance, and resistance,” said Joseph Itongwa one of our C0-chairs.
Co-organized with a key allied Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) and with the participation of our grassroots organizations from Africa, Asia, Mesoamerican and South America, we are building a powerful global movement rooted in territory, intergenerational dialogue, and gender equity.
From the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GATC), we are preparing with strength and conviction—because this gathering will mark a turning point.
The answer is us, the answer is all of us, including you!
https://globalalliance.me/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/first-global-congress-pre-event-poster.jpg13502400GATChttps://globalalliance.me/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/global-alliance-of-territorial-communities-logo-tight.pngGATC2025-05-22 22:44:272025-06-12 18:11:01We Are Getting Ready for a Historic Moment: First Global Congress of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities of the World’s Forest Basins
The Tropical Forests Forever Fund (TFFF) is a new proposed international fund designed to generate sustainable revenue flows for forest conservation in tropical forest countries. The proposal by the Government of Brazil aims to capitalize a significant amount of resources through loans from donor countries and private capital markets, using the interest generated to reward countries for preserving their forests. These payments would be performance-based and would not involve the creation or commercialization of carbon credits. The TFFF Secretariat proposes that at least 20% of these resources be allocated to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LCs).
As the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GATC), we reaffirm our commitment to a territorial agenda built from the ground up, governed by our territorial authorities and oriented towards the wellbeing of our peoples. One of our core priorities is to influence the transformation of national and international investment and cooperation towards a direct territorial investment approach, grounded in rights, self-determination, and results for our territories. This vision is embedded in our global advocacy and governance strategy: the Shandia Platform, which connects regional funds including the Mesoamerican Territorial Fund – FTM (Mesoamerica), the Indigenous Fund “Jaguata” (Brazil), the Territorial Fund – Nusantara (Asia), and the Territorial Fund for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities of Central Africa – REPALEAC (Africa). Our funds, led by the peoples and communities themselves, manage resources with cultural relevance, a territorial approach, and self-determined governance.
With this clear commitment to our peoples and communities, we join and proactively support the TFFF initiative led by Brazil, which has appointed the World Bank to support its design. We are particularly interested in influencing the mechanisms that will govern the allocation of the 20% of resources designated for IP&LCs, to ensure that Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities play a meaningful role in the governance of the fund and that these financial flows reach those who protect the tropical forests directly, effectively, and in culturally appropriate ways.
The GATC sees the TFFF process as a key political opportunity to transform the international financial architecture to ensure fairer and more direct access to climate finance for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. At the same time, it is an opportunity to strengthen our territorial funds and elevate direct territorial investment as an effective and scalable solution, rooted in our governance systems and development visions.
The co-design process for the IP&LC mechanism will be inclusive and open to networks beyond the GATC. We aim for it to be as participatory and inclusive as possible. This will include a listening session during the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in April, and a global dialogue at the Global Summit of Forest Basins in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, at the end of May. A Global Steering Committee will be established, with representatives from major Indigenous and community networks in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
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APIB’s 20th anniversary at ATL 2025 set the tone for Indigenous leadership on climate action, with the launch of an Indigenous NDC, international coordination toward COP30 and powerful mobilizations. Top photo: Walter Kuamaruara
April 2025 – In a landmark moment for Indigenous climate leadership, the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) marked its 20th anniversary at Acampamento Terra Livre (ATL) 2025 with the launch of the first proposal to include Indigenous Peoples demands within the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of Brazil. Additionally, APIB announced the creation of an International Indigenous Commission for COP30 and hosted a high-level meeting with more than 15 embassies to advance international cooperation on the road to Belem.
Joined by Indigenous and Local Community leaders from Mexico, Panama, and Ecuador representing the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities, APIB reaffirmed their leadership as the key convenors of civil society for COP30. They elevated their campaign “We are the answer” which aims at uniting grassroots movements placing the focus on solutions led by Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities, Quilombolas, and beyond.
This year’s ATL was a turning point for the Indigenous movement, with the official launch of Brazil’s first Indigenous Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), a proposal aimed at integrating Indigenous demands within the broader framework of Brazil’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement. The NDC emphasizes the need for equity, self-determination, and active participation of Indigenous Peoples and traditional communities in the implementation of Brazil’s climate strategies.
“The launch of the Indigenous NDC in Brazil represents the strength with which our peoples are approaching COP30. We are reinforcing the importance of placing ourselves at the center of the climate debate, as we are essential to confronting the crisis,” said Kleber Karipuna, executive coordinator of APIB. “It is impossible, in the 21st century, with all the evidence recognizing our role as protectors of the territories, that we are not included as a vital strategy Brazil can offer in the fight against climate change.”
Two powerful protest marches led by Indigenous Peoples made headlines during ATL. The first, themed “Our Demarcation Is Our Climate,” denounced the ongoing delay in land titling and the political attacks on Indigenous rights. The second, “Without Demarcation, There Is No Democracy,” called attention to legislative rollbacks such as the Time Limit Thesis and PL 2903. Despite facing violent repression by police during both mobilizations, Indigenous leaders received strong messages of support from international allies and movements, including the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GATC), reaffirming global solidarity with their struggle.
During the ATL, two significant protests took place, each addressing critical issues for Indigenous communities. The first, “Apib Somos Todos Nós: Nosso Futuro Não Está à Venda” (“APIB: We Are All One: Our Future Is Not for Sale”), was a direct response to the growing threats against Indigenous Peoples rights in Brazil, particularly a new proposal by the Supreme Court that threatens to strip Indigenous Peoples of their veto power over economic activities on their ancestral lands. This draft bill, which seeks to open up indigenous territories to mining, hydroelectric plants, and roads, represents an unprecedented move in Brazilian history.
Photo: Lu SantiagoPhoto: Bianca AmaralPhoto: Juliana Duarte
The second protest, the “Marcha ‘A Resposta Somos Nós‘” (“March: ‘We Are the Answer'”), was joined by diverse groups from Brazilian civil society, including Quilombolas, small-scale farmers, youth, and other grassroots movements. The march’s central message emphasized that the solutions to the climate crisis lie with the people on the ground — those whose livelihoods are directly tied to the environment. This message resonated beyond Brazil’s borders, aiming to unite movements globally on the road to COP30. The march ended with an unprovoked police crackdown on the demonstrators, an act that APIB condemned, reaffirming that their protest had been peaceful.
In a major diplomatic moment, APIB, in partnership with the GATC and COIAB, hosted a high-level embassy meeting titled “We Are the Answer: Indigenous Visions for COP30.” Over 15 embassies participated, including Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and the European Union. This meeting was a significant step towards ensuring that Indigenous voices are not only heard but also included in the official climate negotiations. The goal is for COP30 to leave a lasting impact, one in which Indigenous participation is further entrenched in the results of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
APIB also announced the creation of the Indigenous International Commission for COP30, a historic step toward formalizing Indigenous participation in global climate governance. The Commission will be led by Minister Sonia Guajajara and include representatives from APIB, COIAB, ANMIGA, the Amazonian G9, and the GATC.
“We are here in solidarity with Indigenous women in Brazil, we are here for the right to territory and life. We stand firm in our solidarity with the peoples of Brazil,” said Sara Omi, an Emberá leader from Panama and representative of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GATC).
The international presence at ATL 2025 was unprecedented, with leaders from Mexico, Panama, Ecuador, Australia, Fiji and other countries standing in solidarity with Brazil’s Indigenous movement. The GATC delegation brought voices from across the world — emphasizing that Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities are not only on the frontlines of the climate crisis, but also at the forefront of the solutions.
As APIB celebrates two decades of mobilizing for rights and territories, ATL 2025 has positioned Indigenous Peoples at the center of climate leadership, strengthening their collective voice on the road to COP30 in Belém.
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Indigenous Peoples of Brazil met with over a dozen of Brasilia’s ambassadors to call on governments to support their agenda towards COP30 with swift action to stop deforestation and violence in indigenous lands.
April, 2024 — Brazil’s indigenous movement is seeking multiple pathways to ensure the upcoming COP30 can be marked by action in the territories. In a meeting with over a dozen embassies, they asked governments to commit to halting their countries’ extractive activities in indigenous lands. As the country gears up to host the upcoming COP30, there is a need to match discourse with on the ground action, according to the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB).
During the meeting, leaders from all biomes of Brazil stated the links between land invasion and foreign interest, particularly highlighting the violence communities experience due to displacement and confrontations with invaders and corporations.
“Don’t receive soy exports that are linked to indigenous blood. If a product is coming from our lands, it is the result of a direct attack on us and is tainted by violence”, said Norivaldo Mendes, from the Guarani Kaiowa people and Executive Coordinator to Aty Guasu and APIB. “Corporations won’t tell you where the soy comes from because they don’t want to lose all the resources our land provides them”, he finished.
The delegation met with representatives from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the United States, France, Italy, Norway, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the Brazilian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Indigenous Peoples. This marks the first time the APIB hosts a single meeting with a diplomatic body of this calibre.
Among the petitions from the indigenous leadership, they called on these governments to support effective Indigenous participation in COP30 and to include concrete goals for demarcating Indigenous Lands in the upcoming update of the Brazilian Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs); to implement direct financing to Indigenous organisations by adapting their operations, monitoring and evaluation instruments; and to prioritise a new vision on infrastructure that respects Free, Prior, Informed Consent and that does not impact Indigenous Lands – explicit demanding no mineral or oil exploitation in their territories.
The ambassadors heard a call for them to hold companies accountable for damage incurred against nature and the inhabitants of the regions in which they operate; and to commit to not financing or supporting projects that are characterised as greenwashing.
“We want to push for traceability of the commodities sold to the European Union and big economies of the Global North, because then you will be able to see why we are constantly calling out violent land grabbing attacks” said Dinamam Tuxa, Executive Coordinator to APIB.
The leadership also pushed a debate on mining expansion as a response to the climate crisis and a proposal for “sustainable” development. “There is no point in coming to Brazil to look for what has already been used up in your countries”, said Executive Coordinator Kreta Kaingang, speaking on fossil fuel and mining projects. “We are not against development, but we cannot accept development that is based on the death of our people”, he added.
The Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GATC) leadership joined Brazilian Indigenous authorities for the meeting, as part of their participation in the Free Land Camp (Acampamento Terra Livre – ATL) to advance a joint agenda towards COP30 and call on other stakeholders to join their efforts. Their presence showcased the articulation between Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities worldwide.
“On behalf of the Indigenous Peoples of our alliance, we want governments to join us to make COP30 a historic turning point in how the world confronts the climate crisis. If we don’t come together, we might have to sit down to write the history book on how humanity failed to live with Mother Earth”, said Rukka Sombolinggi, in representation of the Indigenous Peoples of Indonesia and the GATC.
Representatives from the embassies acknowledged the guardianship role Indigenous Peoples carry in their territories and pledged to continue on dialogues with APIB in the route to COP30. Moreover, they spoke of their standing projects and the will to continue investing and connecting with the communities. Many promised to work both with indigenous organisations and the Brazilian government to accelerate the demarcation and effective protection of indigenous lands, guaranteeing the autonomy of the people, and strengthening territorial governance.
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Indigenous land titling in Brazil has fallen behind as president Lula had promised to complete 14 processes in his first 100 days of government, but had only titled 10 in over a year in power.
April, 2024 — President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met with a delegation of 40 indigenous leaders from across Brazil last Thursday (25) afternoon at the Palácio do Planalto. The gathering, which took place during the 20th edition of the Free Land Camp (Acampamento Terra Livre ATL)- the largest indigenous mobilisation in the country- concluded with the creation of a Task Force to advance land titling.
The meeting followed a massive march where eight thousands of Indigenous Peoples and Civil Society Movements filled the city’s central area with echoing chants and energetic calls for the government to advance land titling and stop large projects that pose threats to their territories. The rally ended at the Praça dos Três Poderes, where groups of indigenous organisations continued on with their protest as the meeting took place.
Photos: Kamikia Kisedje
The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) had been denouncing the government’s failed promise to title 14 indigenous lands in the first 100 days of Lula’s government. In over a year they had titled 10 of those lands, whilst many others awaited. Moreover, they raised alarms as Congress debated passing a law that could severely limit their rights to land, the Time Frame Law (Marco Temporal).
“In our understanding, there is no legal impediment to land titling. What there is is a political impediment, which we hope will be resolved with this task force, which is a demand from the indigenous movement, so that we can actually unblock land demarcations. Not only of the four lands, not only of the 25 lands with declaratory ordinances [already signed], but so that, once and for all, we can overcome administrative and political issues for demarcating indigenous lands in the country,” said Dinamam Tuxá, a Executive Coordinator to APIB.
Responding to the primary demands of APIB, the government announced the establishment of a governmental task force aimed at unlocking pending land titling processes awaiting presidential approval. Priority will be given to four key areas–including the Xukuru e Morro dos Cavalos- each mired in disputes awaiting resolution.
The task force, chaired by Minister Guajajara, will collaborate with key governmental bodies, including the Office of the Presidency, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Farming, the Attorney General’s Office (AGU), and the National Foundation of Indigenous Peoples (Funai).
Photo: Lia BianchiniPhoto: Adrian Arantos
Indigenous movement mobilised against a bill that severely hinders their rights and projects harding their territories
During the 20th edition of the Free Land Camp (Acampamento Terra Livre), Indigenous Peoples took over Brasilia’s streets with over 8,000 thousand peoples from over 200 distinct indigenous ethnic groups. In their chants, they argued against the Time Frame Thesis (Marco Temporal) and large projects like the Ferrogrão which threaten their rights and territories.
The “Time Frame thesis” is a legal concept asserting that Indigenous peoples are entitled to claim only the lands they inhabited exactly on October 5, 1988, the date of Brazil’s Constitution promulgation. The proposition does not acknowledge the centuries old history of Indigenous Peoples of the country and does not account for the forced displacement they suffered during Brazil’s dictatorship in the 20th century. As a response, the indigenous movement united under the “Our time frame is ancestral” argument.
Indigenous leaders walked through Brasilia next to a large truck that was wrapped to simulate a “train of death”, signaling their opposition to the Ferrogão railing project. The new train route would cut through sacred indigenous lands in the Amazon to facilitate soy exports. Monoculture of soy is one of the leading causes of deforestation and land grabbing, and the train would only aggravate the circumstances.
Photo: Jaye Renold
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