@ Photo credir: Kamikia Kisedje (Kisedje)
Amazonia
Securing the protection of 69M hectares of Indigenous Peoples’ territories
Quick facts
40%
of the Amazon is protected by Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
10%
of the planet’s known biodiversity is contained in the Amazon.
7M
square kilometers is the approximate size of the Amazon biome.
Why it's important
The Amazon is the world’s largest tropical rainforest. The biome spans an area nearly the size of the contiguous United States.
Our partnerships in the Amazon support Indigenous Peoples' guardianship of more than 69 million hectares of thriving territories.
Our strategy is to:
- Defend the rights of Indigenous Peoples and management of their territories
- Support the long-term visions of Indigenous organizations by strengthening their capacity to mobilize, manage, and sustain the resources and partnerships needed for lasting success
- Elevate Indigenous Peoples’ stories, knowledge, and leadership
Nia Tero supports Indigenous Peoples' guardianship in northern Brazil, southern Suriname, western Guyana, eastern Colombia, and along the Ecuador-Peru border.
The Amazon is home to approximately
2.2M
INDIGENOUS
PEOPLES
400
DISTINCT
GROUPS
350
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
CARING FOR THE PLANET
Home to unrivaled biodiversity, Amazonia functions as the heart of the planet – driving the hydrological cycle that keeps Earth in balance.
Today, Indigenous Peoples protect the Amazon while living under constant pressure, risk, and often without legal recognition. We're helping them change that.
Nia Tero is an example of a partner who listens to our actual needs and points out new and good pathways. They provide us with the freedom to choose our priorities without imposing the direction of our lines of action and activities.
- Dário Vitório Kopenawa
Hutukara (Brazil)
AMAZONIA HIGHLIGHTS
Read more about our work with Indigenous Peoples and their allies in different countries of the Amazon Rainforest.
About 64% of the Amazon basin is in Brazil. Nia Tero works with partners to strengthen Indigenous governance and territorial rights, enhance communication, and protect large forest areas, supporting an area larger than Sweden.
We support efforts to advance the implementation of Indigenous Territorial governments, strengthening collective governance structures and Indigenous autonomy, while also documenting and reporting human rights violations.
We work with the A’i Cofán, Siekopai, Siona, Waorani, and Achuar Peoples to defend their lands and promote their self-determined visions and management plans, including clean energy transportation.
We partner with Indigenous District Councils to enhance their technical skills and capacity to coordinate management and community development plans.
We support the Wampís and Achuar in their territorial defense strategies and work with Indigenous organizations that protect Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI).
We work with national traditional Indigenous authorities and with the Trio and Wayana People to develop and implement their plans to manage and monitor their territories as well as to advance Indigenous rights and legal recognition of their territories.
Who do we partner with in Amazonia?
Our partners in Amazonia are helping protect vital ecosystems necessary for our planet's health and habitability. They represent a critical cross-section of Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous organizations and allies protecting Earth for future generations.
- Articulação dos Povos Indígenas do Brasil (Apib)
- Instituto de Pesquisa e Formação Indígena (Iepé)
- Instituto Socioambiental (ISA)
- AmazoniAlerta
- Organización Nacional de los Pueblos Indígenas de la Amazonía Colombiana (OPIAC)
- Gaia Amazonas
- Amerindian Peoples Association (APA)
- Ceibo Alliance
- Nación Achuar del Ecuador
- Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas de la Amazonía Ecuatoriana (Confeniae)
- Amazon Frontlines
- Kara Solar
- Papunahua Indigenous Council
- Tropenbos Colombia
- Rainforest Foundation US
- Organización Regional de Pueblos Indígena del Oriente (ORPIO)
- Asociación Interétnica de Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana (AIDESEP)
- Gobierno Territorial Autónomo de la Nación Wampís (GTANW)
- Peru Equidad
- Instituto de Defensa Legal
- Federation of the Achuar Nation of Peru
- North Pakaraimas District Council (NPDC)
- South Rupununi District Council (SRDC)
- Upper Mazaruni District Council (UMDC)
- 9 Nations
- Nations Inc.
- Forest Peoples Programme
- Mulokot Foundation
- Association of Indigenous Chiefs of Suriname (VIDS)
- Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR)
- Federation of Indigenous Peoples of the Rio Negro (FOIRN)
- Union of the Indigenous peoples of the Javari Valley (UNIVAJA)
- Hutukara Yanomami Indigenous Association
- Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (Coiab)
- Articulação das Organizações e Povos Indígenas do Amazonas (APIAM)
- Podáali – Indigenous Fund of the Brazilian Amazon
- National Indigenous Peoples Foundation (Funai)
- Pará State Secretariat for Indigenous Peoples (SEPI)
- Instituto Escolhas
- Brazilian Network of Indigenous Journalists (ABRINJOR)
- Somos.SER
- Frente Parlamentar Mista em Defesa dos Direitos dos Povos Indígenas
- VIST(Visual is Telling)
- G9 Communications Network
- Associação dos Povos Indígenas Wayana Apalai
- Associação dos Povos Indígenas Tiriyó, Kaxuyana e Txikuyana
- Associação Indígena Kaxuyana, Tunayana and Kahyana
- Associação dos Povos Indígenas do Mapuera
- Associação dos Povos Indígenas Trombetas Mapuera
- Associação de Mulheres Indígenas da Região do Município de Oriximiná
- Associação dos Povos Indígenas Wai-Wai
- Conselho Geral do Povo Hexkaryana
- Associação Aymara
- The Katahirine Network
Related Stories
Learn more about our Amazonia-based work and partners.
