Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Manos Unidas
Madrid (Agenzia Fides) – August 9 is International Day of the World’s Indigenous. The world has over 370 million indigenous peoples in 70 different countries, speaking 5,000 languages (75% of which are known) and a culture and knowledge which has made a decisive contribution to the history of humanity. However these indigenous brothers and sisters are among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in the world, representing 15% of the poor in the world and one third of people living in extreme poverty in rural areas. What is worse, they are rejected, discriminated against, abused, forced from their lands and homes and this treatment has increased in recent years due to globalisation of the economy and the effects of climate change. According to the Spanish Catholic NGO Manos Unidas, for many years involved in protecting and improving the lives of the most vulnerable people, among the principal challenges facing this bracket of the world population, besides violation of their human rights, are new vast economic projects developed on their lands and which very often degrade the environment on which the survival of the indigenous peoples. (AP) (8/8/2017 Agenzia Fides)
