Indigenous Women and Youth Call for Urgent Actions for Just Energy Transition

[Press release]

Originally published on the Right Energy Partnership's website, 23 September 2024

Thirty Indigenous women and youth representatives from nine countries across Asia gathered at the Regional Conference on a Just and Sustainable Energy Transition held from September 20- 22, 2024. The representatives discussed the challenges they face in the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and their initiatives and solutions for just energy transition, and issued a declaration demanding respect for Indigenous Peoples’ rights and urgent actions toward a just and sustainable energy transition.

“Indigenous Peoples are among those without access to electricity yet their territories are host to megadams and mining projects. The transition to renewable energy, without the recognition and respect of Indigenous Peoples rights, will lead to ethnocide given the current increasing multiple challenges that Indigenous communities are facing, said Robie Halip of the Right Energy Partnership with Indigenous Peoples (REP).”

Safety and security concerns brought about by the influx of workers of the project were raised by participating Indigenous women. Education of Indigenous youth are also affected resulting from their community’s displacement and loss of livelihood. Indigenous youth are forced to look for jobs outside their communities to support their families. Indigenous women and youth are also not spared from criminalization and harassments as they defend their territories from imposed renewable energy and mining projects.

Amidst these challenges, participating Indigenous women and youth shared their experiences in establishing community based renewable energy systems integrating Indigenous Peoples knowledge and modern technology as well as initiatives on productive end use to ensure sustainability.

The Declaration of the Conference calls for States, businesses, and investors to respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, including to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), particularly of women and youth, in energy transition projects.

The conference delegates outlined a series of demands, including:

• Legal Recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Rights: Effective implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the General Recommendation no. 39 of the Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on the rights of Indigenous women and girls.
• FPIC and Self-Determination: Ensuring the rights of Indigenous Peoples, particularly women and youth to FPIC, including their right to withhold or withdraw consent, for decision-making on energy transition projects.
• End Criminalization and Violence: Protection of Indigenous human rights defenders, especially women and youth, from criminalization and reprisals for defending their rights against harmful projects.
• Support Indigenous-Led Solutions: Investments in community-owned, Indigenous-led renewable energy initiatives that respect self-determined development.

“Indigenous Peoples-led solutions for renewable energy based on environmental conservation are facing challenges in lack of resources, favorable policies, and technology transfer,” said Prabindra Shakya of Asia Indigenous Peoples Network on Extractive Industries and Energy (AIPNEE). “Promoting renewable energy initiatives led by Indigenous Peoples, particularly women and youth, is vital for our self-determined development and sustainable future for all.”

The conference was organized by REP, AIPNEE and, Asia Indigenous Women’s Network (AIWN) in partnership with UN Women and UNEP, among other supporting groups.

Download the full declaration here: https://bit.ly/47E2XgY