Indigenous communities all over the world are undergoing socio-cultural, economic and political changes. What is observed is that youth among them face a range of concerns such as discrimination in education and employment, apathy towards incorporating their socio-cultural and linguistic needs in curriculum, low self - esteem, vulnerability to police atrocities and other law enforcing agencies, loss of identity in which their historical memory, cultural rights and traditional knowledge are endangered. Further, there is a lack of protection of their human rights relating to participation in resistance movements (both women and men), experiencing harassment, displacement due to extraction-based industrialisation, criminalisation and militarisation of indigenous territories. Across the globe, there are indigenous youth who have lost their identity and are assimilated into dominant groups in their country. Then there are others, who in resisting the homogenising forces, play a pro-active role in reviving their culture and identity. Towards this end, the youth have been successful in creating strong platforms to make their voices heard.
Indigenous youth have the potential to play a significant role in protecting their indigeneity and peace. Their voice is getting stronger and can no more be ignored. The challenge therefore is to look for appropriate retrievable policy solutions to protect and promote the indigenous youth to participate effectively in the nation’s growth and its all-inclusive progress. In addition, the motto of SDG 2030 ‘Leave no one Behind’ brings synergy with the proposed affirmative policies.
Abstract/paper contributions are invited but not limited to the following topics:
- Anthropology and the politics of indigeneity
- Meaning of ‘indigeneity’ among indigenous youth
- Youth activism to revive their identity, culture and language
- Gender and identity
- Role of indigenous women and men in mitigating climate change
- Indigenous youth and peace
- Cultural rights of indigenous youth and the SDGs
