The Impact of COVID-19 on Indigenous Peoples in Latin America (Abya Yala)
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PROJECT DOCUMENTS The impact of COVID-19 on indigenous peoples in Latin America (Abya Yala) Between invisibility and collective resistance Thank you for your interest in this ECLAC publication ECLAC Publications Please register if you would like to receive information on our editorial products and activities. When you register, you may specify your particular areas of interest and you will gain access to our products in other formats. www.cepal.org/en/publications ublicaciones www.cepal.org/apps Project Documents The impact of COVID-19 on indigenous peoples in Latin America (Abya Yala) Between invisibility and collective resistance This document was prepared by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), jointly with the regional offices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women); the International Labour Organization (ILO); the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Fund for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean (FILAC), within the framework of the activities of the Regional Interagency Group on Indigenous Peoples in Latin America and the Caribbean (GIRPI). This document was prepared thanks to contributions from Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) of Germany. The boundaries and names shown on the maps included in this publication do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. United Nations publication LC/TS.2020/171 Distribution: L Copyright © United Nations, 2021 All rights reserved Printed at United Nations, Santiago S.20-00893 This publication should be cited as: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and others, “The impact of COVID-19 on indigenous peoples in Latin America (Abya Yala): between invisibility and collective resistance”, Project Documents (LC/TS.2020/171), Santiago, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), 2021. Applications for authorization to reproduce this work in whole or in part should be sent to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Documents and Publications Division, [email protected]. Member States and their governmental institutions may reproduce this work without prior authorization, but are requested to mention the source and to inform ECLAC of such reproduction. ECLAC The impact of COVID-19 on indigenous peoples in Latin America (Abya Yala)... 3 Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 7 I. The need to adopt pecial and specific measures to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on indigenous peoples ..........................................9 II. Indigenous peoples and increased vulnerability to COVID-19: territorial approaches ................................................................................................. 13 A. Overview of the vulnerability of indigenous peoples .........................................................13 B. Vulnerability of indigenous peoples in rural areas ............................................................ 28 C. Vulnerability in specific groups ........................................................................................ 29 1. Older persons .......................................................................................................... 29 2. Indigenous girls and women .................................................................................... 32 3. Indigenous children, adolescents and youth ............................................................. 34 4. Indigenous peoples in border areas ...........................................................................37 5. Endangered indigenous peoples ...............................................................................37 D. State responses for containing and mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on indigenous peoples ......................................................................................................37 E. Indigenous peoples’ responses: Examples of collective resistance ................................... 51 F. The endemic problems faced by indigenous peoples in their territories persist in the midst of the health crisis ............................................................................. 60 G. Concluding remarks and recommendations .................................................................... 62 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................ 67 Tables Table 1 Latin America-Abya Yala (5 countries): deprivation in domestic access to drinking water in indigenous and non-indigenous population, based on preponderance of indigenous population at the municipal level ......................... 16 Table 2 Latin America-Abya Yala (4 countries): deprivation in access to sanitation in indigenous and non-indigenous population, by proportion of indigenous population at the municipal level ....................................................... 19 4 ECLAC The impact of COVID-19 on indigenous peoples in Latin America (Abya Yala)... Table 3 Latin America-Abya Yala (5 countries): distribution of indigenous and non-indigenous population by level of vulnerability in living conditions, at the municipal level ............................................................................. 23 Table 4 Latin America-Abya Yala (4 countries): indigenous and non-indigenous population aged 60 and over, disaggregated by municipality ................................... 30 Table 5 Latin America-Abya Yala (4 countries): proportion of indigenous population between 6 and 24 years old without Internet access at home, by municipality ....................................................................................................... 35 Table 6 Brazil: cases of COVID-19 in indigenous peoples, by Special Indigenous Health Districts (DSEI), as of 2 October 2020.......................................... 40 Table 7 Brazil: cumulative cases and deaths from COVID-19 among indigenous peoples as of 1 October 2020 ................................................................. 55 Figures Figure 1 Latin America-Abya Yala (9 countries): indigenous and non-indigenous population living in poverty ..................................................................................... 14 Figure 2 Latin America-Abya Yala (5 countries): deprivation in access to drinking water in indigenous and non-indigenous population, by area of residence ........................ 15 Figure 3 Latin America-Abya Yala (4 countries): deprivation in access to sanitation in indigenous and non-indigenous population, by area of residence ......................... 18 Figure 4 Latin America-Abya Yala (4 countries): overcrowding in indigenous and non-indigenous populations, by area of residence ............................................. 21 Figure 5 Latin America-Abya Yala (5 countries): distribution of indigenous and non-indigenous population by level of vulnerability in living conditions at the municipal level ............................................................................................... 23 Figure 6 Latin America-Abya Yala (5 countries): population aged 60 and over, by indigenous status and co-residency ......................................................................31 Figure 7 Amazon Region (6 countries): new and cumulative cases of COVID-19 among indigenous peoples as of 30 September 2020 ............................................... 56 Boxes Box 1 Latin America: territories and communities at risk in the context of COVID-19......... 27 Box 2 Chile: older people and COVID-19, a Mapuche perspective ...................................... 32 Box 3 Indigenous young people in the context of the pandemic ........................................ 36 Box 4 Chile: dimensions of the monitoring under the “Coronavirus mapping in Wallmapu” initiaive ............................................................................................. 58 Box 5 Regional Indigenous Platform against COVID-19 “For Life and the Peoples” ............ 59 Diagrams Diagram 1 Colombia: confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the indigenous population, as of 4 October 2020 ................................................................................................ 43 Diagram 2 Mexico: confirmed cases of COVID-19 among indigenous language speakers (as of 16 September 2020) and persons identifying as indigenous (as of 28 August 2020) .............................................................................................. 48 Diagram 3 Peru: confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the indigenous population (as of 5 September 2020) ......................................................................................... 51 Maps Map 1 Latin America-Abya Yala (selected countries): indigenous population with deprivation in access to drinking water, by municipality ................................... 16 ECLAC The impact of COVID-19 on indigenous peoples in Latin America (Abya Yala)... 5 Map 2 Latin America-Abya Yala (selected countries): deprivation in access to sanitation in indigenous population, by municipality ........................................... 19 Map 3 Latin