Economic Growth in Developing Countries and its Impact on Human Rights of Indigenous Communities

Abstract

Latin American economies are almost exclusively based on extractivism of natural resources. The overexploitation of these resources and the lack of enforcement of the law by the state may compromise vulnerable groups of people, especially indigenous communities. This situation affects the tenure of their lands and territories, the continuity of their cultural heritage and, very often, their very own survival. Paraguay, whose economy is mainly based on agriculture and livestock, was recently sanctioned by the United Nations Human Rights Committee stating that it violated the rights of an indigenous community to their lands and their concept of domicile, due to the lack of enforcement of the law regarding activities performed by agricultural companies. This situation is just one of many in which human rights of indigenous communities are being infringed by companies and the state in pursuit of economic growth, which is why it is a necessity to enforce and apply human rights principles within the framework of a sustainable development. The purpose of this paper is to be able to demonstrate that companies and state bodies if not willing to abide, comply and enforce human rights regulations are able to cause serious human rights violations, affecting indigenous communities to the extent of risking their very existence. Indigenous people’s mere existence is closely linked to the conservation and protection of the environment; therefore protection of both is not only needed but a matter of extreme and urgent necessity.