Legal assistance project for Indigenous Peoples wins award in Brazil

By Ian Vitor Freitas – From Cenarium

BOA VISTA (RR) – Conceived by a group of tuxauas from the Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Territory (IT) and other regions of Roraima, the project “Indigenous Advocacy in Territories: Training Indigenous Legal Operators” won the 21st Innovare Award in the advocacy category. Created in 2001 by lawyer Joenia Wapichana, now president of the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai), the project aims to train leaders on territorial rights.

The award ceremony took place at the Supreme Federal Court (STF) in Brasília. Lawyers Junior Nicacio and Fernanda Felix, from the Wapichana people, received the award from Minister César Asfor Rocha. In addition to the two lawyers, Ivo Cipio, from the Macuxi people, is also part of the team but was absent due to participation in the United Nations Conference on Biodiversity (COP16).

Currently, the project has been active for over 20 years in Indigenous territory. The initiative’s operators also provide training in areas such as environmental issues, Indigenous rights systems, and territorial governance instruments (development of protocols and internal regulations). The topics taught to the tuxauas help prepare leaders for debates in political and social spaces on issues related to Indigenous peoples.

The project includes the participation of 80 Indigenous leaders distributed across Roraima and 20 scholarship recipients from the program, who operate in 36 Indigenous territories, including Macuxi, Wapichana, Taurepang, Wai-Wai, and others.

Award Recognition

According to Junior Nicacio, the award is significant for recognizing the Indigenous justice system, which has historically had its own model for resolving internal conflicts and daily situations.

“The award represents the recognition of Indigenous advocacy, which is more common today, but 20 years ago, the first lawyers, such as Dr. Joenia and Dr. Paulo Pankararu, began strengthening the project. Their work has enabled us to have a group operating in various regions, particularly in the Amazon region, further strengthening the presence of lawyers in the territories here in Roraima,” he said.

As part of the legal department of the Roraima Indigenous Council (CIR), the project coordinated by Junior, Fernanda, and Ivo carries out activities to ensure collective rights. CIR operates in 270 communities, with a population of over 40,000, and the project assists these populations with legal issues in public institutions.

Overview

Based on data collected in the 1st Demographic Study of Brazilian Advocacy (Perfil ADV) in May of this year, the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) provided an overview of the profession’s composition in the country.

According to the survey, Brazilian advocacy is divided as follows: whites represent 64%; mixed-race individuals 25%; Black individuals 8%, and approximately 1% is composed of Indigenous and Asian individuals.

For Fernanda Felix, the award indicates that Indigenous rights in Roraima are on the right path and highlights the importance of continuing the work started 20 years ago.

“We trust that these rights will be increasingly recognized and respected. So, we return stronger to continue the work that began years ago, and we now have the responsibility to keep promoting and fighting for our rights,” she emphasized.

Every year, Indigenous lawyers hold evaluation and work planning meetings and visit regions in Roraima to monitor the activities of legal operators. Program activities include workshops, lectures, and discussion circles.

Translated from Portuguese by Gustô Alves