This article shows the current state of protection of genetic resources of indigenous peoples in the context of international human rights. The analysis is justified because international law, regional and international on access to genetic resources of indigenous peoples is insufficient, poor and in some cases, nonexistent. The protection of genetic resources in relation to indigenous peoples has special connotations according to its own system of human rights of these peoples, so that it seeks to investigate whether international law of human rights takes into account these ethnic particularities. In this sense, a characterization of universal and inter- American system related to genetic resources in order to identify gaps and challenges of these systems.