The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated historical exclusions towards indigenous peoples. Despite this, and in the face of this adverse context, the indigenous youth of Latin America and the Caribbean have once again organized to promote responses within their communities. These young people championed their own actions to combat COVID-19 with a community and intergenerational approach.
Several of these experiences were shared today at the Parallel Event: “Abya Yala Indigenous Youth Facing COVID-19: Collective and Intergenerational Initiatives”, held within the framework of the twentieth session of the Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues.
On this occasion, the Expert of the Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues, Darío Mejía, emphasized: “When you are young, you have momentum, you have so much desire to transform the world, but many times if you do not have the care and guidance of the elderly, it is the world that ends up changing you ». Therefore, actions that take into account the journey and the life journey of the wise men and women of the communities in complementarity with the innovation of the indigenous youths are necessary.
Indigenous youths champion actions against COVID-19
The coordinator of the Indigenous Youth Network, Jessica Vega, highlighted that indigenous youth have worked hard to face COVID-19. In their intense search for alternatives and measures to create actions, they have recognized and put into practice community values such as solidarity and reciprocity, since these are essential to safeguard indigenous territories, culture and identities.
For his part, Miguel Antonio Gutiérrez, from the Escuintleco Youth Movement-Indigenous Youth Network (Guatemala), remarked that during the pandemic they made vinyl with messages on actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, supported farmers and highlighted the importance of food sovereignty from the peoples. In the same way, they carried out radio campaigns with generational messages on care and recommendations to avoid the spread of COVID-19, another collective construction was the artistic mural Rutz´o iil qak´achariik (Art of our existence).
Also noteworthy were the actions that the Indigenous Youth of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador, CONAIE, carried out. In the words of Jairo Gualinga it was learned that “From Ecuador, the youth of CONAIE, we have held events, camps at the of the country with the 18 towns and 11 nationalities, where we have discussed, analyzed and made proposals in the face of this COVID-19 situation that we are experiencing from the territories ”.
Likewise, and from the trajectory of the president of FILAC, Myrna Cunningham became the recognition for the actions carried out: “The indigenous youths are teaching us how innovations can be combined with traditions. They have become experts in cultural mapping and documentation processes using new technologies such as video, GPS and drones ”.
Three million cases of COVID-19 in young people
For her part, Sonja Caffe, Regional Advisor on Adolescent Health of the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO; noted that we are now experiencing a pandemic that is having unprecedented effects in all areas of daily life. “The COVID-19 pandemic has not only affected our lives in a general way, it has also revealed and deepened the social disparities that disproportionately affect people and groups living in situations of vulnerability.”
Likewise, it announced the cases of COVID-19 in youth, indicating that “In the member states, more than 3 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported in young people aged 10 to 24 years, more than 30 thousand people hospitalized and almost 3,000 deaths ”. He stressed that there is concern about the impact that confinement measures are having on young people, since they are the most affected groups, when we talk about the interruption of psychosocial progress and the interruption of mental health and also of their socioeconomic development, including The education.
The collective response, according to Sonja Caffe, “has to do with creating an environment where young people can continue their psychosocial development, ensuring their access to essential health, mental health, sexual and reproductive health services.”
Finally, the indigenous youth consider that this global emergency should unite us more, therefore within the framework of the Permanent Forum they urge that there be the strengthening of the capacities of youth, the empowerment of children and adolescents, the opening of spaces for full participation. and effective as equals.
This event was organized by the Indigenous Youth Network with the support of FILAC, Indigenous Youth and Pawanka.
–
