Voices from the Territory

Informe especial de Equitable Origin: Situación de la conectividad al Internet y otros medios de comunicación de los Pueblos Indígenas.

January 10, 2020

From October 2020 to March 2021, Equitable Origin supported an Indigenous-led study on the state of connectivity of Indigenous Peoples as part of the Center for Strengthening the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (CEFO Indigena). Equitable Origin (EO) and the Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations from the Amazon River Basin (COICA) decided to conduct this study to find out more about the status of internet connectivity of Indigenous Peoples in Peru, Ecuador, Mexico and Colombia.

Civil engineer Luis Fernando Canelos, a young Indigenous member of the Kichwa nationality of Pastaza, had the significant responsibility of leading this research. The study was conducted through interviews with Indigenous organizations and an analysis of the available quantitative baseline data on the number of Indigenous communities with access to the Internet and other communication services.

An urgent need for Connectivity

The United Nations, in a Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, declared access to the internet a human right.

The Special Rapporteur underscored the unique and transformative nature of the internet not only to enable individuals to exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression, but for a range of other human rights, and to promote the progress of society as a whole.

Lack of internet access impedes Indigenous Peoples’ ability to exercise their rights. Having access to the internet means being able to exercise fundamental human rights and freedoms, such as freedom of speech and access to information, education and communication.

Indigenous Peoples already face significant barriers to basic services, cultural preservation and participation in civic life. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the impact of the digital divide, making it even more difficult for Indigenous Peoples without the internet to access information, healthcare, and education.

For Indigenous Peoples, who are especially susceptible to COVID-19 due to pre-existing illnesses, lack of access to health services and food insecurity, the need for accurate, timely, and culturally appropriate information is literally a matter of life and death.