Sustainable Development and Fight Against Poverty and Marginalization of Mexican Indigenous Peoples

Abstract

In Mexico, there are 68 indigenous peoples spread throughout the national territory. According to data from the 2020 census, the total population of self-declared indigenous people amounts to 23,229,088 inhabitants, representing 19.5% of the national population, most of whom are located in the south and southeast of the country. This chapter aims to assess the effectiveness of Mexican policies for ensuring sustainable development among indigenous peoples, thus enabling them to promote their own development agendas, based on their worldviews and priorities. In this chapter, the authors present an analysis of data from the Population and Housing Censuses and the reports offered by national and international organizations. Mexico has made important progress regarding its laws and policies concerning indigenous peoples. The data from the Population and Housing Censuses analyzed in this chapter reflect, in parts, the results of these advances in the legal field; since there is a reduction in the percentage of illiterate indigenous people, there are also advances regarding insurance in health and employment indicators. However, there is a persistent gap between the indigenous and non-indigenous populations in the country, more significant in indigenous women.