Empowering Youth and Women to Defend Land Rights and Protect Mother Earth

Movements Grounded in Territorial Experiences

The Women’s Movement and Youth Movement of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities represent the diverse faces of our communities, showcasing the strength and resilience of indigenous and local community women and youth.

Our movements are a testament to the power of solidarity and the unwavering commitment to protect our lands and cultures.

Together, we stand as guardians of our ancestral rights, advocating for justice and sustainable futures. Inspired by our heritage, we lead with courage and determination to create lasting change for our people and the planet.

By connecting territorial realities to the global sphere, we ensure the voices of women and youth influence international policies. Our unified efforts drive meaningful global action for environmental protection and justice.

Indigenous leaders from member organizations of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GATC) in a group photo against an orange background

Our Women’s Movement a collective force of Indigenous Peoples and territorial women in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, united by a common purpose: the defense of life

We are a living part of the territories we inhabit. We are memory, seed, water, food, speech, and knowledge that is passed down from generation to generation. From within our cultures and communities, we sustain life, nurture the bonds between people and nature, and keep alive traditional knowledge that today also offers solutions to the planet’s crises.

We are women. We are territory. We are living memory and the future.

We walk together to strengthen our voice and bring our visions, proposals, and ways of understanding the world from our territories to the forums where decisions are made about our present and the future of coming generations.

Indonesian indigenous woman in a headscarf plays a traditional wind instrument alongside another person in an outdoor setting

Mission

To weave together the collective strength of Indigenous women and territorial communities, uniting our knowledge, struggles, and proposals to defend life, our territories, and Mother Earth, and to carry our voice from our communities to the spaces where decisions are made.
group of people enthusiastically playing drums and chanting during a communal gathering in Cameroon, expressing emotion and energy

Vision

A future where our daughters and granddaughters can live in vibrant, safe, and free territories; where the wisdom of our grandmothers continues to be passed down; and where women have the power to make decisions about the land, water, forests, the economy, and the future of our peoples.

large group of Indigenous women from Brazil in traditional attire protest with signs, advocating for climate action and land protection

Purpose

To walk together across peoples, regions, and cultures to transform the defense of life into collective power; to strengthen our autonomy, protect those who care for the territories, and make our voices, knowledge, and proposals a force capable of changing the decisions that affect our lives.

Why We Exist

red illustration of two female figures, facing each other

We exist because the lives of our peoples, our territories, and Mother Earth are deeply intertwined with the lives of women.

red illustration of a leaf

Because we are the ones who uphold memory, seeds, water, food, care, and the knowledge passed down from generation to generation,yet we continue to face violence, exclusion, and decisions made without us.

red illustration of a fist

We exist to walk together across cultures and territories, to strengthen our voice, and to transform our knowledge, our struggles, and our proposals into collective power to protect life and decide our own future.

Strategic Priorities

2026 – 2027

  1. Advocate and Decide
    Greater political presence, strong voices, and effective participation in global forums.
  1. Secure Direct Financing
    Resources that reach women and communities, with a gender-sensitive approach and without unnecessary intermediaries.
  1. Protect Territories and Women Defenders
    Defend life, territorial rights, and the safety of those on the front lines.
  1. Turning Knowledge into Power
    Positioning ancestral knowledge, biodiversity, and food systems as climate solutions.
  1. Strengthening Autonomy and Leadership
    Promoting the Indigenous economy, capacity-building, communication, and strong coordination among the five regions..

“We are the memory of those who came before us, the voice of those who sustain life today, and the strength of those who will shape tomorrow”.

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Our Youth Movement brings together the diverse faces of our communities

Reflecting the strength, resilience, and leadership of Indigenous Peoples and community women and youth across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, we are a living testament to the power of  solidarity and commitment to protecting our territories, cultures, and ancestral knowledge.

Through political advocacy, capacity strengthening, and collective action, we work toward  climate justice, biodiversity, conservation, and the full recognition of our rights

Our alliance represents  more than 36 million people living in forest territories across 24 countries, guardians of over 958 million hectares of land.

three indigenous youth sit together under a shelter, sharing grilled corn while smiling and chatting

Mission

To unite and empower Indigenous Peoples’ and Local Communities’ youth so that they become key actors in the well-being of their communities, guided by the principles of protecting Mother Earth and aligned with the demands of the GATC.

young climate activists raise fists and hold signs advocating for Indigenous rights and climate action at COP28

Vision

To be a strong youth movement, globally recognized, with a voice and
influence in international negotiations on climate, biodiversity, and territorial rights, while securing direct access to funding for youth-led initiatives.

group of children hold saplings above their heads in a field, celebrating a tree-planting activity

Purpose

To ensure that the next generation of Indigenous and community
leadership strengthens and renews the GATC from within.

Why We Exist

To be a strong youth movement, globally recognized, with a voice and
influence in international negotiations on climate, biodiversity, and territorial rights, while securing direct access to funding for youth-led initiatives.

two hands arranged in a circle, representing the strength of community and collective action

Influence international policies that promote environmental and social justice.

a hand holding a megaphone, illustrating amplifying conversation and exchange of ideas

Defend their territories, cultures, and ancestral rights.

two hands with puzzle pieces, symbolizing mutual support and cooperation between different groups

Strengthen solidarity and collective action.

two figures shaking hands, symbolizing partnership, trust, and mutual respect

Connect territorial realities with global decision-making spaces.

As guardians of life and the future, we are the bridge between communities and the world.

Strategic Priorities

2026 – 2027

  1. Strengthen Governance and Organizational Structure
    • Create a formal movement structure with clear roles and leadership
    • Implement accountability mechanisms
    • Establish leadership rotation every three years
  1. Increase Political Advocacy
    • Consolidate the Youth Movement’s 2026 Political Positioning
    • Strengthen representation in international spaces
      (COP, CBD, UN forums)
    • Support the participation of regional member organizations
  1. Secure Direct Financing
    • Allocate specific resources for territorial youth initiatives
    • Promote the Shandia Platform as a climate financing mechanism
    • Develop a portfolio of youth-led projects to attract donors
  1. Strengthen Territorial Impact
    • Invest in concrete actions within territories
    • Maintain a direct connection between global representatives and grassroots communities
    • Support projects led by Indigenous and community youth

“We are the roots that honor the memory of our peoples and the seeds that transform the future. From our territories, we raise our voices to protect life, defend Mother Earth, and build a more just world for future generations.”

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Introduction
Women's Movement
Youth Movement

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