Tebtebba Foundation in collaboration with Bangladesh-based Maleya Foundation, has undertaken a project to strengthen the capacity of Indigenous Peoples for international lobby and advocacy. Covering Bangladesh and the wider Asia region, it involves a series of activities that engage Indigenous leaders and youth and academic experts.
Last February 24-25 the advisory group of the Global Research Network for Indigenous Peoples of Asia (GRIP) met in Bangkok, Thailand to take stock of the Network’s initiatives. They revisited its milestones, acknowledged the gaps, and identified future actions. GRIP is a network of Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous and academic researchers and experts, and civil society organizations based in Bangladesh and in other parts of the world. Envisioning a self-determined and sustainable development of Indigenous Peoples, it works on co-creation and -production of knowledge of and about Indigenous Peoples in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh.
In other areas, climate change impacts and resilience were the focus of activities organized by Indigenous organizations. The Steering Committee of the Eastern Himalayan Network on Climate Change (EHNCC) gathered in Colombo, Sri Lanka on March 25-26 to look at EHNCC’s initiatives and identify collective actions to respond to the negative impacts of climate change in the Eastern Himalayan region. Composed of Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, climate experts and Indigenous activists, EHNCC endeavors to bring forward Indigenous communities’ experiences from climate change impacts and amplify their voices for climate justice in various platforms.
The Eastern Himalayan Youth Network on Climate Change (EHYNCC) also held its annual conference last April 6-10 in Kathmandu, Nepal bringing together Indigenous youth and leaders to develop the Network’s climate action plan with a clear vision, mission, and goals. They assessed their collective situation and identified the needs which must be addressed towards strengthening their climate resilience.
Maleya Foundation, with the support of Tebtebba Foundation and Bread for the World, co-organized these activities with its partners in Asia.