A Just Transition for Indigenous Peoples is one that centers a human rights approach and the protection of biodiversity and advances Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination in all endeavors relating to the building of green economies. Doing this will require that all stakeholders observe and fully implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the right to self-determination and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent in all decision-making.
Cristina Coc, a Q'eqchi Maya woman of southern Belize, shares how Mayan groups in Belize have been fighting for their rights for over 30 years. After many meetings with the State, the Belize national court has acknowledged legal Indigenous rights to their land and affirmed that the government may not use, destruct, or occupy Indigenous land.