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Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact

Asia Indigenous Youth Platform (AIYP)

Background

Indigenous Youths in the Asia are facing a time of key life transitions and uncertainty about the future. In addition to navigating these new aspects of life, young people from indigenous communities face a range of unique social and cultural challenges. Indigenous communities often live in remote locations with less access to modern education, health and other services than mainstream peoples/ their countrymen, and continuity of cultural practices and identity is intimately connected to belonging to a community. Formal decision-making and governance structures are often led by a group of chosen leaders who are informally advised by wise elders in the community. Most decisions and programs are influenced by popular opinion and the youth (boys and girls), including children, take active part in the implementation of the community’s programs and activities. However, their customary institutions are in mutilated forms due to varied reasons such as invasion, occupation, militarization, development aggression, assimilation, political domination and imposition of state structures, etc. These institutional challenges have produced extreme conditions where the whole community often go through or are experiencing collective trauma and internalization of victimhood and violence affecting the children, youth and women the most. So. to deal with the emerged youth issues, AIPP in collaboration with UNESCO and UNDP established Asia Indigenous Youth Platform during the Regional Youth Leadership Training and Youth Conference in the presence of 45 indigenous youths from Nepal, Bangladesh, Mainland India, Northeast India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Philippines on 5-12 June 2019 in Chiangmai.

Vision

We envision a sustainable world in which indigenous youth play a leading role in achieving respect and equality for indigenous peoples through the full recognition of their inherent rights.

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    Objectives

    Recognising the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN DRIP) and the fundamental importance of realising and protecting human rights of indigenous youth, AIYP will work collectively to address a number of interconnected issues affecting young indigenous people. Central to AIYP’s work will be recognising the principle of free prior and informed consent within all of AIYP’s actions, which will work to achieve the following for indigenous youth and their communities:

    • Prevent loss of culture and protect indigenous knowledge
    • Access quality education including Mother Tongue Language education
    • Strengthen land rights and food security
    • Participate in decision-making
    • Provide sustainable livelihoods for indigenous youth

    Thematic Areas

    • Loss of Culture/TL,
    • Access to Education & Health,
    • Land rights / security/food,
    • Political participation / peace / participation in decision-making,
    • Mother tongue language,
    • Human rights and
    • Employment

    Structure

    • “Council” one representative from each country + regional (Annual),
    • “Executive” 2 representatives + one alternate from each regional (Quarterly)
    • “Membership” all Indigenous Youths in national youth organizations/federations + regional
    • “Working groups” based work plan (as needed)

    Name of the focal and alternative persons:

    SL No.

    Country Name

    Focal person

    Alternative person

    1

    Nepal

    Hemanta Rai

    Bikesh Thami

    2

    Bangladesh

    Chandra Tripura

     

    3

    Mainland India

    Punita Topno

    Rakesh Ekka

    4

    Northeast India

    Rokasen

    Rajiandai

    5

    Myanmar

    Ke Jung

    Aung Naing

    6

    Thailand

    Miss Suwanni Bunyuenkun

    Miss Khaming Lungsaeng

    7

    Lao

    Somchit Nongbhor

    Lah Soukseum

    8

    Vietnam

    Cong Duong Hoang

    Pan Thi Tan

    9

    Cambodia

    Samin Ngach

    Sokhunthea

    10

    Indonesia

    Jakob Siringoringo

    Jhontoni Tarihoran

    11

    Malaysia

    Ricklend Gryst Christopher

    Sabrina Metree

    12

    Philippines

    Nedlloyd Tuguinay

    Rurelyn Bay-ao

     

     

      
        

    Announcements

    Announcements
    AIPP

    Call For Applications For AIYP Fellows

    : : : Terms of Reference AIYP Young Indigenous Fellowship Program (2022)AIPP, UNESCO, and UNDP   Background In 2019, the Asia Indigenous Youth Platform (AIYP) was established with the vision

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