Honduras, Central America Strengthening of Miskitu People’s Land Rights

“Heart and Lung of Central America” HONDURAS “Heart and Lung of Central America” Honduras has wide variety of plants and animal species and is part of trans boundary system of protected areas. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor integrates its 91 protected areas incorporated, and amount 19% of its total territory. 48% of the country’s territory is forest covered. 40% of its forestry cover is located in protected areas. The country is also a home for people of diverse ethnic ancestries, which is reflected in its culture, art and architecture.

and its Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples HONDURAS and its Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples Population: 8 million inhabitants Country Area: 112,492 km² 720,000 inhabitants are indigenous and afro-descendant (9% of the population) Indigenous and afro-descendant people live in approximately 25% (28,000 km2) of Honduran territory. Ethnic Diversity: whites, mestizos, indigenous and afro-descendants. 9 indigenous and Afro-descendant groups: Miskitu Lenca Garífuna Tolupan Nahua Maya-Isleños Chortí Pech Tawahka

25% of Honduras’s territory has been titled in favor of indigenous and afro-descendant people, through 612 titles since 1984. National and International Legal Framework applied in Collective Land Titling Honduran Constitution International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 169 (ratified on September 1994) Modernization of the Agricultural Sector Law (1992) Property Law (2004) Forestry Law (2007) Municipalities Law Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Honduras voted in favor on 2007) National and International Legal Framework applied in Collective Land Titling Honduran Constitution International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 169 (ratified on September 1994). Modernization of the Agricultural Sector Law (1992) Property Law (2004) Forestry Law (2007) Municipalities Law Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Honduras voted in favor on 2007)

La Muskitia and the Miskitu People at Glance Region located in the Department of Gracias a Dios (6 Municipalities, 16,736.67 km2, 15% of the country’s total territory). Population: 90,000 inhabitants Multiethnic territory (5 ethnic groups 12 MiskituTerritorial Councils and/or Federations 1 Tawahka Federation 1 Pech Federation 1 Garifunas (Afro Honduran)

Natural Resources in the Muskitia Enriched ecosystem Biospheres Mangrove ecosystems Tropical forests and Caribbean pine savannas Coastal lagoon systems Rivers Streams Endangered species Foto por V. Murphy

La Muskitia: a Rain Forest Corridor Biosphere Reserves An historic conservation unit that is being redesigned to conform to indigenous territorial rights Concejos Territoriales A new indigenous territorial jurisdiction.

INNICIATIVES FOR COLLECTIVE LAND TITLING IN LA MUSKITIA Since 1984, the Miskitu Organization MASTA (which means “Unity of The Muskitia) and the Territorial Councils, formalized their historical claims for the of their collective land rights. From 2004 until 2016, the World Bank Funded Honduran Government Projects, the First and Second Land Administration Projects (PATH I & II), supported the efforts for the Miskitu Peoples collective land Titling Until 2012, the Miskito people were the only indigenous or afro-Honduran group in the country that had not received a singled land title.

La Muskitia of Nicaragua y Colombia. OTHER INNICIATIVES IN SUPPORT OF COLLECTIVE LAND TITLING IN LA MUSKITIA 2010, South-South Exchange Initiative Exchange of knowledge and experiences on processes of titling of indigenous lands With the support of World Bank and participation of: Governmental authorities Land Administration Program of Honduras (PATH II)/ Property Institute MASTA Miskitu Territorial Council representatives Exchange of experiences Nicaragua: Land Titling process, in the North Atlantic Region (Miskito Autonomous Region). Colombia: Iindigenous Land Titling Experience. Starting this exchange, building up trust between the Honduran Government and the Miskitu People. La Muskitia of Nicaragua y Colombia.

A MISKITU PEOPLE’S DECISION: FREE, PRIOR AND INFORMED CONSULTATION. Based on the legal framework and the 169 ILO Convention. More than 100 consultations were made for the Titling process, at the general regional and community level with the participation of more than 5,000 leaders. Anthropological studies, agronomic, socioeconomic suvey, lifting of polygons survey.

INTERCOMMUNAL COLLECTIVE LAND TITLING RESULTS Katainasta: First “Concejo Territorial” titled in the Muskitia and first intercomunal collective title in 2012 53,293 hecteres 39 comunites 1351 families 7000 people Since 2012, eleven(12) new “consejos territoriales” and 11co- managed Forestry intercomunal collective titles have been isued and registered by the Government in favor of the Muskito People and other ethnic groups in La Muskitia. 12 Consejos Territoriales 12% of the territory

MAIN LESSONS LEARNED THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBTAINED RESULTS Legal Framework Analysis Political will World Bank and other financing agencies support Inter institutional coordination Technical capacity Community participation

MAIN CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE Land Remediation: The Miskitu people has ancestral occupation, use and now legal certainty of their land, but in many of these lands what the call “third party” (ladino or mestizo) non Miskitu have settled. Many of these settlers integrate into the community. However, there is a growing trend of temporary occupation by ladino people who settle the land with purpose of executing un controlled extraction and exploitation of natural resources (logging, hunting, fishing, farming, etc.). The Miskitu people will pursue a new legislation regarding land remediation of indigenous people’s land. Land Governance: land governance includes among others the following aspects: Sustainable management of natural resources, as “La Muskitia” is a very rich region in this regard, (b) Managing conflicts regarding territorial issues, among each other and neighbors (c) Economic development planning, thus the Government is boosting the “Alliance for the Muskitia” as a means for economic development of the region (d) Strengthening the community participation and organization, as the Honduran Government is boosting the Law for the Free, Prior and Informed Consultation, and (e) Strengthening territorial identity, culture and ancestral worldview.

Thank you, very much