By Karma Rinji Sherpa, Station Manager, Radio Kairan 96.4 FM, Ramechhap, Nepal

Radio Kairan, a beacon of community radio in a remote village of Ramechhap district, Nepal, has successfully addressed a major challenge: updating outdated equipment that was hindering quality broadcasting. With support from the Cultural Survival Indigenous Community Media Fund, the station has been revitalized, allowing it to effectively serve listeners in their mother tongues of Sunuwar, Tamang, Sherpa, as well as Nepali.

By Feza Christine, reporter at UPADE Radio Communautaire d'Itombwe (RCI)

In the mining regions of South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, the allure of easy money has created a breeding ground for sexual exploitation, especially targeting young Indigenous girls. The influx of cash from mining activities has led to a surge in predatory behavior, with miners and mining company employees using their newfound wealth to lure vulnerable girls into exploitative relationships.

By Pardo Mwetaminwa, UPADE Coordinator

A surge in foreign mining operations in the Fizi territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo is causing growing hardship for local communities, particularly the Indigenous Batwa People. Traditionally reliant on farming, the Batwa are being displaced from their lands without adequate compensation or consultation.

Por Colectivo Informativo Mapuche Mapuexpress

Durante 2024, en el Colectivo Informativo Mapuche Mapuexpress llevamos a cabo el proyecto “Comunicación y Resistencias contra las amenazas mineras en la Fütawillimapu: Choyipe taiñ newen mapu: Que renazca nuestra fuerza de la Tierra”, apoyados por la Consultora Alerce de Osorno y financiados por Cultural Survival.

This is an urgent letter from Domingo Antun, leader of the Shuar Arutam Maikuaints Peoples in Ecuador. The Maikuaints are facing imminent displacement as Solaris Resources, a transnational mining corporation, advances operations on Shuar ancestral territory without tribal consent. This is not merely a land dispute but an existential crisis for a people whose spiritual, cultural, and physical identity is inextricably bound to these lands and waters.

Del 21 de abril al 5 de mayo de 2025, se celebrará el 24.º período de sesiones del Foro Permanente de las Naciones Unidas para las Cuestiones Indígenas (UNPFII) en la sede de la ONU en Nueva York. Este período de sesiones anual es la tercera reunión más grande que se celebra en la sede de la ONU en Nueva York. Reúne cada año a más de 2000 representantes de pueblos indígenas, Estados miembros, organismos de la ONU y otras partes interesadas para debatir y abordar cuestiones indígenas.

​​​​​​Del 21 de abril al 2 de mayo de 2025 se llevará a cabo la 23.ª sesión del Foro Permanente de las Naciones Unidas para las Cuestiones Indígenas (UNPFII) en la Sede de las Naciones Unidas en Nueva York. El tema de la sesión de este año se centrará en “Mejorar el derecho de los Pueblos Indígenas a la autodeterminación en el contexto de la Declaración de las Naciones Unidas sobre los derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas: enfatizando las voces de los jóvenes Indígenas”.

Cultural Survival's community includes people from all walks of life, with beautiful stories to tell of your own about why you decided to become an advocate for Indigenous Peoples' rights. Sharing these stories further connects our community, provides much-needed solidarity and validation to our staff and partners on the ground, and helps us inspire others to join our movement. We are excited to spotlight members and former interns of our community and highlight your contributions and perspectives through our Cultural Survival Spotlight series. 

OPEN LETTER TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AUTHORITIES
Barra Velha / Bahia – Brazil, March 21, 2025
 

To the authorities of the Federative Republic of Brazil,
To the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights,
To the United Nations Human Rights Council,
To the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,
To international organizations, the media, and global civil society:

By Lucas Kasosi (Maasai, CS Intern)

If cities had ghosts, Nairobi would be haunted by the whispers of those it displaced. Beneath its glass towers and frantic highways lies a past rarely acknowledged: a history of forced removals, treaties signed under duress, and land slipping through Maasai hands like water.

Each year, on March 24, the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims is observed.