Youth integration in Indigenous territorial governance challenges cultural, political and economic barriers. Traditionally, decision-making positions in Indigenous territories have been granted to “experienced” leaders, mostly adults who built up their leadership recognition through time. Therefore, youth, who often lack leadership experience, are often underrepresented in decision-making positions. On the other end, opportunities for engagement in territorial governance are becoming scarcer, given the persistent instability of indigenous governance structures. Thus, the majority of Indigenous youth are alienated from their territories, adopting non-traditional livelihoods (i.e., motor-riders) for a living in their territories, or deciding to migrate to large cities, in search of opportunities. In Bolivian Lowlands, development projects have applied a variety of strategic interventions to promote indigenous youth engagement in their territorial governance systems; through the Forest For a Just Future program, IBIF has come up with three strategic interventions for greater impact and change to promote youth engagement in territorial governance, 1. the strengthening of organizational capacities, 2. Strengthening the articulation of indigenous youth organizations to local, national and regional youth networks and 3. strengthening project management and entrepreneurship capacities. The three strategies combined, or separately, have played a significant role in visibilizing youth's key role in local and territorial development and governance, it has also increased youth’s chances to demonstrate their leadership capacities, and some were elected in decision-making positions within their communities, territories and networks. Indigenous youth envision a decent life, if they decide to stay in their communities, and represent a great force to strengthen their territories’, and the planet earth’s capacities to adapt and mitigate climate change and reduce poverty.
