Gender, Race & Ethnicity

In Latin America certain groups of citizens have been historically disadvantaged. Their situation has been recognized as a problem, as a social debt, to different degrees throughout the region. Thus, many initiatives have focused on women, indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants and other minorities, and sought to overcome and prevent discrimination.

The following sources cover these topics: (1) women, politics & rights; (2) LGBTQ+ rights; (3) indigenous peoples; (4) afro-descendants; and (5) intersectionality & discrimination.

Women, Politics & Rights

   GENDER EQUALITY

• • • Afrodescendent Women in Latin America and the Caribbean
      • A publication of UN ECLAC on the sitation of Afro-descendants women in Latin America
    • Brazil: COVID Pandemic Worsens Gender Inequalities
      • Blogpost detailing how gender inequality has been exacerbated through the COVID pandemic in Brazil 
    • Gender Inequality in Latin America
      • An article that uses gender indicators on the economic, physical, and decision-making autonomy of Latin American women to assess gender inequality in the region
    • Latin America’s Deadliest Place to Be a Woman
      • Documentary on Honduras, on how gang violence, poverty and corruption are waging a bloody war against women
    • Mexican Women Protest Femicides
      • Article describing recent protests in Mexico amidst an increase in femicides and addressing issues related to gender-based harm
    • UN Women – Latin American and the Caribbean
      • Link to the UN Women website, which provides an overview on their work in Latin America
    • Violence Against Women in Latin America
      • A discussion piece on gender-based violence in Latin America

   WOMEN’S POLITICAL INCLUSION

• • • Atlantic Council – Women’s Leadership in Latin America
      • Infographic on gender quotas and the impact of gender quotas on broader equality 
    • Chile’s Feminist Cabinet
      • Article on Chile’s 2022 cabinet and the broader transition towards increased gender equity in elected office
    • Gender Quotas
      • Website of International IDEA that provides information, by country, on gender quotas
    • Gender Quotas in Latin America
      • Article providing a brief overview on gender quotas in Latin America
    • Parity and Inclusive Participation in Latin America and the Caribbean
      • In-depth report on the status of women in Latin America as it pertains to political representation and participation in government
    • Women in National Parliaments 
      • A site, run by IPU (the Inter-Parliamentary Union), with up-to-date worldwide data on female representation in parliaments 
    • Women in Politics in Latin America
      • Infographic listing women heads of state in Latin America
    • Women’s Rights in South America – A Timeline
      • Brief chronological article from the Borgen Project describing key dates for women’s political inclusion, suffrage and civil rights in South America

   REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

• • • Center for Reproductive Rights – Latin America
      • Link to the Center’s website, which includes references to their work in Latin America and important statistics
    • Guttmacher Institute – Latin America 
      • The site of the Guttmacher Institute, a leading organization conducting research and advocacy to advance sexual and reproductive health globally
    • Jailed for Abortion in El Salvador
      • Documentary on El Salvador, on abortion laws and jailings of women who’ve received abortions in El Salvador
    • Let it Be Law
      • Documentary on Argentina, on women’s fight for abortion rights in Argentina. Available for rent here.

LGBTQ+ Rights

• • Equaldex
    • Digital knowledge base with resources on LGBTQ+ movements around the world
  • LGBT Rights and Representation
    • Report by Prof. Corales detailing LGBTQ+ rights, movements and representation in Latin America
  • Mariela Castro’s March: Cuba’s LGBT Revolution
    • A documentary on Cuba that spotlights gay, lesbian and trans activists, and the role of Mariela Castro, the daughter of Raúl Castro. Available to for rent here. 

Indigenous Peoples

• • Guaranteeing Indigenous People’s Rights in Latin America
    • A publication of UN ECLAC on the state of rights of indigenous peoples in Latin America
  • Indigenous Latin America in the 21st Century
    • World Bank coverage of the social and economic status of indigenous people in Latin America; it includes a short video.
  • Indigenous Peoples in Latin America 
    • Infographic on indigenous demographics in Latin America
  • Indigenous Peoples in Latin America: Statistical Information
    • A brief report of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) with up-to-date information on indigenous peoples in Latin America. It also includes a valuable list of resources.
  • Los pueblos indígenas de América Latina
    • An ECLAC publication (in Spanish) on the situation of indigenous peoples in Latin America
  • Pueblos Originarios de America
    • Spanish-language website on indigenous peoples in the Americas
  • Race and Ethnicity in Latin America
    • A book by anthropologist Peter Wade that offers a good introduction to the topic of race and ethnicity in Latin America, addressing both indigenous peoples and Black people
  • The Return of the Native: The Indigenous Challenge in Latin America
    • Brief paper, by sociologist and anthropologist Rodolfo Stavenhagen, that explores the evolution of indigenous movements in Latin America
  • Situation of Latin America’s Indigenous Population and the Impact of COVID-19
    • Article from the UNDP exploring the disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on indigenous communities in Latin America

   Mexico

• • • Zapatista 
      • Documentary on Mexico, on the Zapatista uprising in 1994
    • Zapatista Movement
      • Backgrounder on the Zapatista uprising of 1994 in Mexico

   guatemala

• • • Rigoberta Menchú – Daughter of the Maya
      • Documentary on the indigenous Maya peoples in Guatemala, told through the experience of Nobel prize winner and activist Rigoberta Menchú. Available for rent here.
    • Rigoberta Menchú – Indigenous Rights in Guatemala
      • Documentary on Rigoberta Menchu’s life and contributions, and exploration of inequalities in Guatemala
    • Rigoberta Menchú – Nobel Women’s Initiative
      • Brief biography and additional information about Rigoberta Menchú and her advocacy for human rights of indigenous people

   honduras

• • • Berta Didn’t Die, She Multiplied
      • Documentary on Honduras (in Spanish with English subtitles) on Berta Cáceres, indigenous activist killed in 2016

•    brazil

  • • Terra dos Índios (Land of Indians)
      • Documentary on Brazil (in Portuguese), in which Brazilian Indians discuss their own problems, focusing on the many interests behind the disastrous politics of aboriginal emancipation

•    chile

  • •  The Battle for Land: Settlers in Chile
      • Documentary on Chile, on the conflicts between Mapuche Indians and settlers in Araucanía, Chile
    • Mapuche Movement
      • Report on the Mapuche Movement, from the Georgetown School for Political Affairs

•    ecuador 

  • • Sumak Kawsay: The Sarayaku Case
      • Brief documentary on Ecuador (in Spanish with English subtitles), on the case of the Kichwa community of Sarayaku in Ecuador, where indigenous people’s rights were violated in favor of an oil company

Afro-Descendants

• • Afro-Descendants in Latin America: Towards a Framework of Inclusion
    • World Bank report covering Afro-descendant’s inclusion in Latin America, and recommendations for political and social inclusion
  • Black in Latin America
    • Four-part documentary series following Professor Henry Louis Gates to different countries in Latin America, where he explores  concepts like “racial democracy” and the lasting impact of history on Afro-Latino communities:  (1) Haiti & the Dominican Republic: An Island Divided; (2) Brazil: A Racial Paradise?; (3) Mexico & Peru: The Black Grandma in the Closet; and (4) Cuba: The Next Revolution.
  • Black History in Latin America
    • Article on Black history in Latin America, especially as it pertains to the African slave trade
  • Race and Ethnicity in Latin America
    • A book by anthropologist Peter Wade that offers a good introduction to the topic of race and ethnicity in Latin America, addressing both indigenous peoples and Black people
  • Situación de las personas afrodescendientes en América Latina y desafíos de políticas para la garantía de sus derechos
    • An ECLAC publication (in Spanish) on the situation of Afro-descendants in Latin America

   brazil

• • • Brazil: An Inconvenient History
      • Documentary on Brazil, on the country’s history as told through the eyes of those enslaved 
    • Ôrí
      • Documentary on Brazil (in Portuguese), on the Brazilian Black movement between 1977 and 1988, and the relationship between Brazil and Africa

Intersectionality & Discrimination

• • Racial Discrimination and Miscegenation
    • Information about miscegenation and racial discrimination in Brazil
  • The Urgency of Intersectionality
    • Ted talk of Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw defining intersectionality as it pertains to Black women in the United States