APIYN Presentation to the 21st Session of the
Working Group on Indigenous Populations
Jennifer Awingan, co-coordinator of APIYN
July 21-25, 2003
Theme: Globalization

Greetings to the Chair, Mr. Martinez, members of the Working Group, to my indigenous brothers and sisters who are gathered here in this important occasion.

I am Jennifer Awingan speaking on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Indigenous Youth Network and the Youth Commission of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance, Cordillera Philippines.

The Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network takes this opportunity to present the highlight of the International Indigenous Youth Conference held in Cordillera, Philippines in April 2002 sponsored and hosted by the Cordillera Peoples Alliance Youth Commission with the theme " Building Solidarity Among Indigenous Youth In Asserting Indigenous Peoples Rights Amidst Globalization".

The 83 Indigenous Youths coming from the colonial boarders of Australia, Fiji Island, New Zealand, Solomon Island, Bolivia, Ecuador, Panama, Canada, United States, Finland, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, Bangladesh, Burma, India, Indonesia Thailand and the Philippines, affirmed that indigenous youth all over the world continue to grapple in the ever-worsening impact of globalization. The various instruments of globalization have now become the fastest and most efficient instruments of disintegrating indigenous peoples worldwide. We indigenous youth find ourselves all the more vulnerable to a worldview which is individualist, commercialized, decadent, commodity-oriented which are the extremes of the teachings and worldviews with which we indigenous youth continue to value and practice in our indigenous communities. Globalization is rapidly disintegrating indigenous communities and forcibly assimilating indigenous peoples to the so-called mainstream “modernization”.

Indigenous youth far from being trained in the formal educational system to contribute effectively and appropriately to the development of their peoples are educated to compete in the global labor force of skilled and English-speaking laborers. More unfortunate though is the fact that while educated indigenous youth are grappling with an educational system systematically designed to promote globalization, more indigenous youths don’t have access to formal education.

Mr. Chairman, allow me to cite the situation of IP youth in the Cordillera. Privatization as the main tool of globalization in the education sector is done through outright transfer of the educational institutions to private entities. The government's policy of gradual yet continues reduction of state subsidy to tertiary education has resulted to the merging of state run schools for purposes of cost cutting and also drove these schools to commercialize some of their buildings, increase the tuition and miscellaneous fees driving most of the IP youth and students to dropped off from school and add up to the already big number of out of school youth engage in odd jobs, anti-social activities such as gambling pick-pocketting,drug dependents and pushers, teen-age pregnancy and other crimes and vices.

Ideally a teacher can only handle 30-40 students per class but in the Cordillera a classroom accommodates as much as 75 student/ teacher per class. There is still a serious problem on the lack of books, chairs, teachers, health services and other basic needs.

As indigenous peoples continue to wallow in poverty, indigenous youths become vulnerable to military and para-military recruitment thereby pitting indigenous peoples against each other as well as other peoples.

And because we are sons and daughters of indigenous peoples, we have our share in the ever-worsening exploitation, oppression, repression, and discrimination, inequality brought about by globalization in our lands.

To contribute in arresting the evils of globalization, we resolved during the conference to pursue building solidarity and collective actions in support to the Indigenous Peoples aspirations and struggles. For the Asia-Pacific delegates, we formed an Asia –Pacific Indigenous Youth Network (APIYN) to ensure that the youth are able to contribute effectively to the wider struggle of Indigenous Peoples for self-determination.

Mr, Chair, we have observed that while in principle, governments and the United Nations have recognized the potential and vital role of the youth, indigenous youth to be more particular, in the development efforts, we are concerned that this is not sufficiently manifested in practice. Indigenous youth continue to play a peripheral role in the whole process of restudying and realizing ways and means of how indigenous peoples can have full control of their lives.

Mr. Chair if we are truly sincere in collectively addressing the shattering effects of globalization particularly among indigenous peoples, then we should have the fullest participation of the youth who are as much affected and who have as much to contribute.

We therefore call on the members of the WGIP and governments to strengthen support and increase the participation of youth in all UN processes, other international forums related to issues of indigenous peoples. We further call for specific programs addressing the issues of indigenous youth and the necessary support structures.

Thank You.