Indigenous Movements in Colombia: Redefining Their Notion of Citizenship Through Social Demonstrations, Representative Groups, and Constitutional and Legal Reforms

Indigenous groups in Colombia have been victims of forced displacement and dispossession of territory. As they become more present in current social and political conversations, there have been partial improvements and advancements of promises made by the government. However, the Colombian government and ethnic majorities still fall short of the guarantees and the assurance of indigenous citizenship. This essay proposes that through the means of resilient social demonstrations, the establishment of representative groups, and the push for Constitutional and legal reforms, Indigenous people in Colombia have established a multi- dimensional definition of citizenship that explicitly identifies the social and political implications that come with having citizenship status, especially as a member of minority and historically marginalized groups