1996
Toledo Maya Cultural Council v The Attorney General of Belize
Supreme Court of Belize
Our Work
Securing Land Tenure
Who the Maya people are, and their struggle for land rights and climate justice across southern Belize.
Land Rights
A decades-long journey for recognition
The Maya people of southern Belize have pursued recognition of their customary land rights through their communities, the national courts, and regional human rights bodies. JCS supports this ongoing work — documenting history, defending rights, and accompanying communities at every milestone.
Detailed land-rights history and milestone copy to be provided by JCS.
Milestones
A Timeline of the Land Rights Journey
Drag or scroll sideways to follow the journey
1996–2004
Maya Indigenous Communities v Belize
IACHR Decision — Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
2007
Aurelio Cal et al v AG
Supreme Court of Belize
2008–2010
Maya Leaders Alliance et al v AG et al
Supreme Court of Belize
2010–2013
AG v Maya Leaders Alliance et al
Court of Appeal
2015
Consent Order — Maya Leaders Alliance et al v AG
Caribbean Court of Justice
Landmark Maya land rights cases, 1996–2015.
Strategic Thematic Areas
Program Areas
From the 2007 Supreme Court ruling to the 2015 Caribbean Court of Justice consent order, every milestone has been earned by Maya communities through years of legal advocacy and community organizing.
[Detailed milestone list and dates to be provided by JCS.]
Maya villages lead their own land-boundary mapping process — combining traditional knowledge with GPS technology to produce community-recognized maps that form the basis of legal land tenure claims.
[Specific village mapping projects and methodologies to be provided by JCS.]
Supporting the alcalde system, traditional ceremonies, language preservation, and the village-level institutions that have sustained Maya life for generations.
[Program details and current initiatives to be provided by JCS.]
Maya stewardship has preserved the forests of Southern Belize for centuries. JCS supports community-led conservation, sustainable agriculture, and the defense of Maya lands against extraction.
[Specific conservation initiatives to be provided by JCS.]
Through leadership training, exchange programs, and direct support for youth and women alcaldes, JCS invests in the next generation carrying forward the Maya land rights movement.
[Youth and women's programs to be provided by JCS.]
Climate change threatens the very land, water, and food systems Maya communities depend on. JCS engages in climate justice advocacy, adaptation planning, and ensuring Maya voices are heard in climate decisions.
[Climate justice initiatives to be provided by JCS.]
Now
Current Projects
[ project photo ]
Auto-delimitation of village lands
Communities mapping and demarcating their own boundaries.
[ project photo ]
Environmental stewardship
Protecting forests, rivers and biodiversity on Maya lands.
[ project photo ]
Youth & women leadership
Building the next generation of Maya leaders.