While many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are classified as middle income, there are pockets of acute and intractable poverty that are populated disproportionately by people of African descent and indigenous peoples. There are several numerical minority populations in the region, such as those of Indian, Japanese or European descent. However, these groups do not experience the extent of marginalisation that indigenous peoples and people of African descent do. Romani groups also exist in several Latin American States (including Brazil, Argentina and Colombia) and reportedly experience discrimination (Tchileva 2004). In Caribbean States, the situation of some migrant workers is particularly poor.

Democratization and multicultural reforms have created more space for acknowledgement of racial discrimination and the historical and cultural contributions of minority groups. The emergence of movements of indigenous peoples and people of African descent has been central to this process.

The development of a strong movement of indigenous peoples in the region seeking protection of land rights, cultural rights and self-determination has resulted in an awareness and acknowledgement of the existence of indigenous peoples and their concerns. In some States, indigenous peoples constitute the majority population (e.g. Bolivia, Guatemala) but often continue to be marginalised; even where they constitute a numerical minority, indigenous communities typically will reject the ‘minority’ identity label in an effort to assert their status as ‘peoples’. Most constitutions recognize the indigenous peoples in the region and development donors and governments have developed strategies that give consideration to their needs, although not always successfully nor in accordance with the expressed wishes and rights of indigenous communities.

The response to the situation of Afro-descendants has been weaker, in part because the civil society of Afro-descendants is not as strong as that of indigenous peoples. Afro-descendants constitute some 150 million people in the Americas region, representing about one-third of the total population. Many Afro-descendants live in urban areas although in some countries there are specific geographical regions with a high concentration of Afro-descendants, such as the Atlantic coastal regions of Central America. Virtually all Afro-descendants in Latin America and the Caribbean are the descendants of slaves or escaped slaves.

Development actors are taking steps to consider inequalities experienced by people of African descent, who make up 50% of people living in poverty in the region (e.g. Zoninsein 2001). The strong contribution of Afro-descendants to culture in the region has not translated into greater political participation. People of African descent remain marginalised economically, socially and politically, largely due to discrimination (e.g. Morrison 2007). Afro-descendant CSOs report that discrimination, access to land, education (including inter-cultural and bilingual education), disaggregated data collection, employment and recognition of cultural heritage are among the key issues of concern for Afro-descendants. These issues are also noted in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action of the 2001 World Conference Against Racism.⁷⁹

Some States in the region are taking steps to address the gross marginalisation of people of African descent. Four policy responses stand out: the creation of new institutions focused on Afro-descendants; the adoption of affirmative action policies; improved disaggregated data collection; and attention to land rights claims. Several States, including Brazil, Colombia, Honduras and Peru, have created national consultative or non-discrimination institutions. Brazil has pursued a series of affirmative action policies in the areas of higher education and in employment in several government ministries. The World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and ECLAC (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean) have been supporting States to collect disaggregated data, including through census reform. Land rights entitlements for Afro-descendants are legally recognized in at least seven countries (Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua) (Inter-American Dialogue 2004).

Migration has also been a feature of this region and the protection of migrant workers as minorities needs also to be considered (e.g. Ferguson 2003). Migrant communities are often victims of racism in their new society and there are concerns around workers’ rights and discrimination. Undocumented migrants are particularly vulnerable to harassment and deportation.

Relations between minority groups have sometimes been strained. Afro-descendants and indigenous peoples often have united in their claims for economic and land rights, but sometimes experience fractious relations due to competition for (limited) government resources or land (e.g. Ng’weno 2007). Some groups of African descent self-identify also as indigenous peoples (e.g. Garífuna), because they are descended also from indigenous populations in the region and because they have continuously inhabited the same land and practice traditional cultures (e.g. Anderson 2007).

The civil society of indigenous peoples is strong. Afro-descendant CSOs have consolidated further since the preparations for the 2001 World Conference Against Racism, which offered people of African descent important political opportunities for advocacy and dialogue. The Roma of Latin America, whose population is estimated at over 1 million people, have been largely unrecognized to date but are also beginning to mobilise to advocate for non-discrimination and cultural protection (Tchileva 2004).