Indigenous land disputes at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights 1991–2020: assessing thirty years of jurisprudence

Indigenous land rights have emerged as a pressing issue, as traditional territories often overlap with areas targeted for economic development and natural resource extraction. This article offers an analysis of land dispute cases involving Indigenous communities adjudicated by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR). It evaluates the jurisprudential trends the Court has established, and how these trends have evolved over time. The article reviews: 1) landmark cases related to Indigenous land claims presented before the IACtHR, and 2) key provisions of the American Convention on Human Rights, notably Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 21, 23, 25, and 26, to assess the Court's interpretative lens regarding Indigenous territorial rights. Findings highlight the Court's recognition of the interconnection between Indigenous land rights and a host of other human rights, the importance of legal recognition and access to judicial remedies, and recent decisions asserting the right to a healthy environment.