There is an urgent need for more Indigenous individuals to collaborate before the few individual leaders burn out Originally published on Global Voices Deforestation in the Maranhão state of Brazil. Deforestation and land theft remain a persistent threat to Indigenous communities, including those who live near the Amazon basin. Image from Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0). This post is part of Global Voices’ August 2026 Spotlight series, “Indigenous Rights.” This series offers insight into the lives and experiences of Indigenous peoples to build connections across regions, center Indigenous experiences, and share the stories of leaders, activists, community members, and more....

More than a century of forced assimilation policies have curbed the Ryūkyūan indigenous right movement Originally published on Global Voices A number of Ryukyuans performed their traditional songs at the People’s Forum NYC on April 26, 2026. Screenshot from the event’s Livestream on the People’s Forum NTY’s YouTube channel. This post is part of Global Voices’ August 2026 Spotlight series, “Indigenous Rights.” This series offers insight into the lives and experiences of Indigenous peoples to build connections across regions, center Indigenous experiences, and share the stories of leaders, activists, community members, and more. You can support this coverage by donating...

Born out of wedlock without a Japanese father’s recognition, some Japanese-Filipino children are left stateless. Originally published on Global Voices Screenshot from Japanese NGO: Citizens’ Network for Japanese-Filipino Children’s website This post is part of Global Voices’ July 2026 Spotlight series, “Statelessness.” This series offers insight into the issue of statelessness and how it hinders people’s freedom of movement, educational opportunities, political access, and more. You can support this coverage by donating here. Japanese-Filipino Children (JFCs) have historically been in a difficult position in Japanese society, as many of them are born out of wedlock, with a Filipino mother and a Japanese...

Some see the cleanup action as a hypocritical performance for foreigners’ approval Originally published on Global Voices Trash bags used by Japanese fans during the 2026 World Cup. Screenshot from the YouTube channel of user @taiyojr.10. Fair use. During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, images of Japanese supporters cleaning up stadium seats after the match have once again gone viral, drawing global praise for what some deem a unique expression of “Japanese respect.” Yet this international adulation is met with a strikingly different response at home: Some see the cleanup action as a hypocritical performance for foreigners’ approval while ignoring...