Land is Life

08/03/2026

A legal case in Northern is bringing attention to long-standing environmental harm affecting Indigenous Peoples’ communities.

Petitioners have filed a lawsuit alleging that toxic waste from oil exploration activities contaminated groundwater in areas such as Kargi and Kalacha. These water sources are essential for the communities.

Residents have reported long-term health impacts such as cancers (especially internal organ cancers), organ damage, and long-term toxicity in the body, loss of livelihoods, and over 300 deaths linked to water contamination. Decades later, affected communities continue to seek clean water, accountability, and justice.

This case highlights the long-term consequences of environmental harm in Indigenous Peoples’ territories and the need for action.
Indigenous Peoples’ territories, health, and rights must be protected. Environmental harm must be addressed through accountability and justice.

07/31/2026

07/29/2026

This year marks the first anniversaries of the landmark climate advisory opinions of the and the Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos.

Together, they strengthen the legal foundation for by affirming States' obligations and recognizing Indigenous Peoples' rights.

Now, the focus must be on implementation.

07/29/2026

Now is the time for Indigenous Peoples in Central and Eastern Europe, the Russian Federation, Central Asia, and Transcaucasia to help shape global water decisions.

Join the Regional Dialogue for Indigenous Peoples and contribute to defining Indigenous priorities for the 2026 and 2028 .

💧 Friday, July 31, 2026
🕒 3:00–4:30 PM (Kyiv/Moscow)
🕑 2:00–3:30 PM (Central Europe)
🕕 6:00–7:30 PM (Dushanbe/Tashkent)
🗣️ Interpretation: English & Russian

🔗 Register today: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HXTvC7sNTxiWgXfnNiNOOA

Your voice belongs in global water decisions.

07/27/2026

⏳ ¡La cuenta regresiva comenzó!

Cada vez falta menos para el cierre del registro al Mecanismo Público Regional del Acuerdo de Escazú, un paso indispensable para participar en la elección de las y los representantes del público.

Esta elección es una oportunidad para fortalecer la participación de los Pueblos Indígenas y de quienes defienden los territorios, el agua, los bosques y el ambiente, llevando nuestras voces y propuestas a uno de los principales espacios de gobernanza ambiental de América Latina y el Caribe.

Sin registro, no hay participación. Por eso es fundamental que organizaciones, comunidades, defensoras y defensores del territorio se inscriban antes del 31 de julio.

📅 Fecha límite: 31 de julio.
🔗 Regístrate aquí: https://bit.ly/4h6LFzW
📲 Comparte este llamado con tu organización y comunidad. Nuestra voz cuenta cuando participamos

07/26/2026

💧 In 2026, the United Nations will hold a landmark that will shape global water policy. Governments are already preparing,but , the world's oldest water stewards, are not yet fully part of that conversation.

That is why we are coming together.

Join the third Regional Dialogue for Indigenous Peoples, this time bringing together Indigenous leaders from across to help shape shared priorities for the 2026 and 2028 UN .

🗓️ July 27, 2026

🔗 Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/7NPydfhpT4O6DZlYKU3pYA

07/24/2026

📢 La participación de los es fundamental para fortalecer la implementación del .
Este año se llevará a cabo la elección de las y los Representantes del Público para el período 2026–2030, un proceso clave para garantizar que las voces de la sociedad civil, incluidos los Pueblos Indígenas, estén presentes en la implementación y seguimiento del Acuerdo.

Si quieres conocer el cronograma electoral y cómo participar, votar o presentar una candidatura, te invitamos al Webinario Informativo de la CEPAL.

🔗 Consulta la agenda e inscríbete en el enlace de la biografía: https://www.cepal.org/es/eventos/webinario-informativo-proceso-elecciones-representantes-publico-acuerdo-escazu-2026-2030

07/23/2026

Twenty years after the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of , its promise remains unfinished.

At the side event marking , H.E. Francisco Calí Tzay, Permanent Representative of Guatemala to the United Nations reflected on the progress achieved, the challenges that remain, and the urgent need to move from commitment to implementation. A Maya Kaqchikel lawyer, diplomat, and human rights defender, he previously served as the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

As he reminded us, the true power of the Declaration lies not in the words on the page, but in how we use them to drive implementation, accountability, and meaningful change.

07/20/2026

Climate justice doesn’t end with a court ruling, it begins with how we use it.

At , Indigenous leaders and legal experts came together to explore how landmark advisory opinions can support stronger advocacy for , their lands, and future generations.

🎥 Here’s a look back at the conversation.

Co-organized with:
Geneva Office of Indigenous Peoples
Permanent Mission of Guatemala to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
Alifuru Council
Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Program, University of Arizona
Human Rights Practice Program (HRTP)

07/20/2026

The call for justice is growing.

United Nations human rights experts have urged the Government of to immediately release Indigenous human rights defenders who have been arbitrarily detained in and to end the criminalization of those protecting their lands and rights.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/07/india-un-experts-urge-release-indigenous-human-rights-defenders-detained

Just days before the UN experts' statement, Land is Life and our partners issued a joint statement calling for the defenders' immediate release and respect for ' rights. We welcome this important international action and stand in solidarity with Indigenous defenders in India.

👉 https://www.landislife.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Article-Website.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawTIwTBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFPMmhZbnlQMnpGeUlEM2x6c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhxGaFqtXD-gXGs6dNJHiXD_TbTAynuILnuKGYuw5sv1R0_aOLD-J9lNyOQ6_aem_8bYV-Wr-pNzuXW9KK6X4Xg

GENEVA – UN experts* today expressed concern over the arrest and detention of five Indigenous human rights defenders in Assam, warning that the charges against them could undermine the legitimate work of those defending Indigenous Peoples' rights in the context of business activities.