The International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL) is a global network of Indigenous Peoples rights activists, advocates, and organizations committed to advancing the rights of Indigenous Peoples to self-determination, land and life.
IPMSDL stands for the right of Indigenous Peoples to govern themselves free from imperialism, state oppression, and human rights violations. IPMSDL also works for the empowerment of Indigenous Peoples, and for the victory of the people’s will over the powers-that-be while recognizing the legitimacy of the different forms of struggle and self-determination that Indigenous Peoples opt to employ.
While, The Asia Young Indigenous Peoples’ Network (AYIPN) traces its roots to the first International Indigenous Youth Conference (IIYC) convened by the Cordillera Peoples Alliance-Youth Commission (CPA-YC) in 2002.
In response to the increasing challenges of globalization on indigenous peoples at home and around the world, the Cordilleran youth pushed to take greater responsibility and action. As a concrete step, the CPA-YC gathered 83 delegates from 19 countries in Asia, Pacific, Europe, Latin America, andNorth America and together they forged a common voice to address the challenges of globalization.
The international gathering developed and strengthened solidarity relations among indigenous youth representatives from around the world. It recognized the need to empower the indigenous youth so that they can uphold their vital role as trailblazers in society despite the difficulties and challenges that the indigenous peoples worldwide confront on their own.
It was resolved that the delegates should work towards the establishment of an indigenous youth network in their respective global regions while strengthening their local organizations. The indigenous youth delegates to the IIYC held a caucus workshop where they agreed to build the Asia Pacific Indigenous Peoples Network.
Since then, the Cordillera Youth Center (formerly CPA-YC) has worked as secretariat. In 2007, the network successfully launched its FoundingConference cum Preparatory Meeting for the UNPFII07-Leadership Training.
This 2017, the network changed its name from Asia Pacific Indigenous Peoples Network (APIYN) to Asia Young Indigenous Peoples Network (AYIPN). This is in recognition of the Pacific as a distinct region and most of its active members are in Asia.

Full Project Title: Passing the torch: Land Rights Now for Indigenous Youth
Implementer: Indigenous People’s Movement for Self Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), as Host, and Asia Young Indigenous Peoples Network (AYIPN)

Indigenous peoples for the longest time have experienced oppression as development in the guise of extractive industries has destroyed our ancestral territories. Across Asia, indigenous youth face challenges from discrimination and lack of culturally appropriate education in our own languages to environmental pollution and land grabbing of our territories in the name of development. Indigenous youth are called on to defend their rights as youth – by making their issues known to those in leadership roles – and as indigenous peoples, calling attention to self-governance, the importance of our values and traditions in the modern world, socioeconomic development and the protection and defense of ancestral land. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected indigenous peoples as clinics and hospitals are inaccessible. In education, as online learning is introduced, it has become difficult for families to afford gadgets and the internet to provide to their children. The difficulty for a strong signal is also lacking thus indigenous youth are not experiencing quality education. Transportation is limited and indigenous communities are located in remote areas. Yet the pandemic has also made many realize the importance of protecting nature which has been a part of indigenous culture. With this in mind, we, indigenous youth with our partners, are committed to the continuous protection, development and the defense of our land and rights for sustainable development – and our future. We are ready to take the torch of the Land Rights Now campaign. The main objective of “Passing the torch: Land Rights Now for Indigenous Youth” is to strengthen and shape the Land Rights Now campaign with more significant involvement of indigenous youth.

Specific objectives and activities we will carry out to achieve them are:
1) to amplify the voice of indigenous youth for their campaigns and advocacy: Capacity Building and Empowerment of Indigenous Youth: – Formal and informal education/training and exchanges to build leadership and organizational management skills to strengthen local organisations – A focus on young women to be leaders and transforming indigenous communities to decolonise and end patriarchy -Nonviolent Direct Action training so indigenous youth are equipped to mobilise communities Advocacy Campaigns: – Support and carry out national advocacy campaigns led by indigenous youth -Document, and revitalize traditional food systems and stewardship role of indigenous peoples as a means to reclaim health, culture and languages
2) to builda movement of indigenous youth across Asia and the globe to participate in and coordinate the Land Rights Now Campaign: Network Building – Build the power of indigenous youth by strengthening our network across Asia and deepen connections to other regions (linking to indigenous youth organisations signed up to the Land Rights Now campaign and others, encouraging them to join)
3) to build the capacity of indigenous youth to carry on and take over coordination of the Land Rights Now Campaign: – Join the coordination of the LandRightsNow campaign and shape public campaign actions at regional and global for the duration of the project and beyond.