Xanne Bekaert

Area of expertise

International and Regional Human Rights Protection, Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, International Climate Law

Biography

Xanne Bekaert is a Research and Teaching Assistant in International Law and a PhD researcher at the Faculty of Law and Criminology of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Stefaan Smis. Her academic interests lie at the intersection of international law, human rights, and sustainable development, with a particular focus on Indigenous Peoples’ rights and the legal and societal challenges of climate governance.

During her legal studies, Xanne specialised in international and European law. Her master's thesis, supervised by Prof. Dr. Stefaan Smis (VUB) and Dr. Wamwara (Moi University, Kenya), examined the implementation of Indigenous Peoples’ rights under international law, focusing on the Endorois and Ogiek cases in Kenya. As part of this research, she joined the Litigation and Implementation Unit at the Centre for Human Rights in Pretoria, South Africa, gaining experience in the jurisprudence of African human rights bodies and the implementation of their decisions. She subsequently conducted fieldwork in Kenya, collaborating with local and international NGOs, Indigenous community representatives and elders, and national human rights institutions.

Alongside her doctoral research, Xanne is pursuing an Advanced Master in Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies (CADES) at KU Leuven (2025–2027). This programme reflects her interest in interdisciplinary and participatory research approaches and the relationship between legal frameworks and social realities. Her academic trajectory is guided by the conviction that complex global challenges, including climate change, inequality, and social justice, cannot be adequately addressed through a purely legal perspective.

Teaching

As part of her appointment as a Research and Teaching Assistant, Xanne Bekaert is involved in teaching the following courses at the Faculty of Law and Criminology:
•    Legal Methodology I: AY2023-24 to 2025-2026.
•    Legal Methodology II: AY2023–24 and 2026–2027.

Research

Xanne Bekaert's doctoral research lies at the intersection of international human rights law, climate law, and Indigenous Peoples’ rights. Her research examines the growing role of carbon markets as a climate change mitigation mechanism and their implications for the rights and livelihoods of Indigenous communities, with a particular focus on East Africa. While carbon markets may contribute to international efforts to address climate change, their expansion raises fundamental questions concerning human rights protection, land rights, participation, and the distribution of benefits and burdens. Indigenous Peoples face particular challenges in this context, especially when carbon projects are developed on lands to which they maintain historical, cultural, and economic ties.

At the core of her doctoral research is the question of how human rights due diligence (HRDD) can be integrated into the legal and policy frameworks governing carbon markets. She examines the extent to which existing international, regional, and national legal instruments provide adequate protection for Indigenous Peoples and how such protection is ensured in practice. Particular attention is devoted to the implementation of the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), as well as the meaningful participation of Indigenous communities in the design and implementation of carbon projects.

Methodologically, her research combines comparative legal analysis with empirical fieldwork in East Africa. She adopts participatory research approaches that seek to incorporate the experiences, perspectives, and knowledge of Indigenous communities. This interdisciplinary approach enables her to examine not only the legal protection of human rights but also the relationship between formal legal frameworks and their practical implementation on the ground.

Publications

• Robles Ustariz, M., Bekaert, X., Lizarazo-Rodriguez, L., Agramont Akiyama, A., Smis, S., & Kofi Abu, D. (2026). The Shadows of “Green”: Who Decides, Who Benefits and Who Bears the Costs? Defend Bio.
• Bekaert, X., & Wamwara, J. J. (2025). Territorial Rights of the Ogiek People. In K. W. Gray (Ed.), Global Encyclopedia of Territorial Rights (pp. 1–10). Springer Nature Switzerland. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-68846-6_754-1.
• Lizarazo-Rodriguez, L., Bekaert, X., Teixeira de Freitas, J. D., Kanesa, N., Ituarte-Lima, C., Smis, S., Merket, H., & Dózsa, K. (2025). Courts and Dispute Resolution Mechanisms in Transnational Ecological Conflicts: Reflections from the Arusha Workshop. Curiae Virides.