Cultural genocide? Civil society perspectives on the contemporary human rights situation of indigenous people in Bolivia: A critical analysis

Bolivia is the first country to incorporate the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into domestic law, yet some have suggested that Indigenous People (IP) remain subjected to extensive rights violations that may amount to cultural genocide, or the effective destruction of a people by systemically destroying or undermining the integrity of their culture and system of values. This study examines whether there is empirical evidence to support such claims in civil society organisations’ submissions to the latest United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The analysis confirms evolving rights and governance reforms yet details how IP are subject to discrimination, denial of land rights, exclusion from decision-making, violence and suppression of indigenous languages. We argue that whilst this currently falls sort of cultural genocide, the present constitutes a critical juncture. Unless there is urgent action by government and other parties, over coming years this is likely to lead to the cultural genocide of some of the more vulnerable indigenous groups in the plurinational state.