Our Purpose

The Indigenous Rights Fund is the first legal aid organization of its kind, created to protect the land rights, cultures, and traditional knowledge of Indigenous Peoples globally. We provide vital legal and financial support to help these communities secure their ancestral lands and preserve their way of life.

Indigenous peoples face constant threats to lose their lands to industrialization and resource extraction to environmental degradation. Many Indigenous communities lack access to the legal resources necessary to defend their rights in court. The Indigenous Rights Fund aims to bridge this gap by offering the support needed to fight displacement and safeguard their cultural heritage.

Besides the need for legal support, there is at the same time a significant absence of state bodies dedicated to overseeing and enforcing Indigenous rights. This lack of institutional support leaves many Indigenous communities vulnerable to exploitation. While we cannot assist in every case, we will strategically select legal battles that can set important precedents, helping to strengthen global protection and respect for Indigenous rights.

Indigenous knowledge systems are critical for the long-term health of the planet. Developed over thousands of years, these knowledge systems have been key to sustainable living and biodiversity conservation across the world. But as climate change intensifies, Indigenous communities are among the first to feel its impacts, as their way of life depends on stable ecosystems. Protecting their land rights is essential not only for their survival but also for the planet’s well-being.

Through our work, we aim to empower Indigenous communities to continue their role as environmental stewards. Protecting their rights is a crucial step in addressing the global climate crisis and ensuring the future of both Indigenous cultures and the ecosystems that sustain the Earth itself and us all as inhabitants of this planet.