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#ForAllWomenAndGirls is a rallying call for action on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Robie Halip, an Indigenous leader, talks about the leadership of Indigenous Peoples, including Indigenous women and youth, in the transition to renewable energy.
Halip comes from the Kalanguya and Kanakanaey Indigenous Peoples in the Cordillera region in the Philippines and works with the Right Energy Partnership with Indigenous Peoples – an indigenous peoples-led initiative that is developing innovative solutions.
The impact of energy projects on Indigenous communities: Displacement, inequity, and resistance
Indigenous territories have long been the site of large-scale hydroelectric dams, years before the mainstream discussions on transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy started.
“These dams power urban areas and fuel the growth of industries, yet the Indigenous communities hosting them often remain without access to electricity and, worse, displaced,” says Halip.
Transition to clean and renewable energy is essential to combat climate change, but it should not come at the expense of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
When projects are implemented without recognizing Indigenous Issues and rights, the burden of the impacts often falls heavily on women and youth, Halip adds. “When Indigenous Peoples are displaced and lose their sources of livelihood, men often leave the community to seek work elsewhere, leaving women to shoulder the responsibilities of providing for and protecting their territories, as well as maintaining community functions.”
Indigenous women also face safety and security risks, including sexual harassment and violence when workers from outside the communities come to work on energy projects.
While energy transition can create job opportunities, it can also disrupt the traditional ways of life and livelihoods of Indigenous communities and negatively impact youth. “When families are displaced and lose their traditional livelihoods, young people often have to leave school to help their parents look for income to support the family,” she explains.
The inequity is clear, stresses Halip – “If projects are conducted without respecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights, the communities that sacrifice the most will often be those who benefit the least.”
Why renewable energy must respect Indigenous rights and knowledge
The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted by 189 governments in 1995, emphasized the importance of integrating women, especially rural and Indigenous women, into environmental management and decision-making. Thirty years later, this call to action remains unfulfilled and urgent.
There are some innovative community-led renewal energy initiatives to learn from, says Halip.
She recalls an initiative from Malaysia, where an Indigenous Peoples-led organization, Tonibung, manufactures its own turbines from recycled materials that convert the energy from flowing water into electricity. By using recycled materials, Tonibung makes these systems more affordable and sustainable, while empowering Indigenous communities to generate their own clean energy and reduce reliance on external sources.
“Now that they have access to electricity, they can sustain their daily needs and traditional livelihoods,” says Halip.
For Indigenous communities in Philippines and worldwide, participation in such projects with their free, prior, and informed consent is essential, particularly when these projects impact their communities, territories and livelihoods. Moreover, as the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report highlighted, such inclusive planning and implementation informed by Indigenous knowledge and cultural values can help address climate adaptation gaps and avoid maladaptation.
According to Halip, the challenge lies in the lack of enabling policies and mechanisms that would ensure direct and meaningful engagement of Indigenous Peoples in national or local projects.
“For example, in developing national action plans on climate change and biodiversity, Indigenous Peoples from the community level often do not have the opportunity to engage directly,” she points out. The lack of opportunities for meaningful engagement is even more pronounced for Indigenous women, youth and persons living with disabilities.
Placing all women and girls at the centre of climate action and just energy transition
As we approach the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, women’s and Indigenous rights advocates such as Halip remain hopeful about policies and measures to ensure that Indigenous Peoples, especially women, are at the centre of environmental conservation, climate action and resilience building.
“We urge States to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the General Recommendation 39 of the CEDAW Committee,” says Halip. Indigenous Peoples are entitled to the full enjoyment of their rights.
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Source: UN Women