East and Central Africa Association for Indigenous Rights

The power of our world lay in the power of humanity

The East and Central Africa Association for Indigenous Rights (ECAAIR), formerly known as the World Peasants/Indigenous Organization (WPIO), is a nonprofit organization working at the community level to protect and promote the rights of the most disadvantaged indigenous and minority communities in East and Central Africa.  Founded in 2003, ECAAIR’s aim is to promote democracy, advocate for the cessation of discrimination against indigenous peoples, and end corruption and exploitation of pygmy communities.  The pygmy communities are a particularly disadvantaged group in the east and central African region.  Thus, ECAAIR pays particular attention to the challenges the pygmy communities face.

Our mission:

• Ending all social, political and economic discrimination against the most disadvantaged indigenous and minority communities in East and Central Africa, giving particular consideration to the challenges the Pygmy Communities face.

• Ending all kind of exploitation and enslavement against the most disadvantaged indigenous and minority communities, giving particular consideration to the Pygmies in the region.

• Bringing community leaders from the most disadvantaged indigenous and minority communities to the centre stage of our advocacy as a way of ensuring community advocacy at local, national and international levels.

Our vision:  To see equal, empowered, and self-sustaining communities in both forest and rural areas.

Please explore our site to learn more about the communities we advocate for, and the work that we do.