UNESCO-Led Youth Research Warns of Growing Climate Pressures on Indigenous Communities
UNESCO Dhaka Office, 25 May 2026
Climate change, environmental degradation and human activities such as deforestation, monoculture plantations and resource extraction are placing increasing pressure on Indigenous communities in Bangladesh’s Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT), according to findings from youth-led research conducted under a UNESCO-supported initiative.
The findings suggest that Indigenous communities remain particularly vulnerable because their livelihoods, cultural practices and everyday lives are closely connected to natural ecosystems. While traditional ecological knowledge continues to play a critical role in helping communities adapt to changing environmental conditions, these knowledge systems themselves are increasingly under threat. The research also highlighted broader social dimensions, including the disproportionate impacts faced by Indigenous women due to limited access to resources and decision-making spaces.
The findings emerged from the Youth As Researchers (YAR): Indigenous Youth and Climate Change initiative, organized by UNESCO in partnership with Maleya Foundation and Zabarang Kalyan Samity. Through the initiative, Indigenous youth researchers explored climate impacts and adaptation practices within their communities, bringing local experiences and traditional ecological knowledge into broader climate discussions.
The research findings were presented during the Research Dissemination Session on Indigenous Youth and Climate Change held in Chattogram, marking the closing of the YAR initiative. The session brought together policymakers, academics, development partners, Indigenous leaders, civil society representatives, community members and youth researchers to engage in dialogue around climate impacts, traditional ecological knowledge and locally driven adaptation practices.
The event was attended by Dr. Md. Ziauddin, Divisional Commissioner of Chattogram; Dr. Susan Vize, Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh and Barrister Raja Devasish Roy, Chief of the Chakma Circle, reflecting increasing recognition of Indigenous youth perspectives in climate and development discussions.
The initiative brought together five Indigenous youth research teams from Chakma, Marma, Mro, Tripura and Tanchangya communities across the Chattogram Hill Tracts. Each team explored a distinct climate-related challenge affecting their communities through field-based and community-led research.
The Chakma team examined youth-led climate adaptation strategies in Rangamati, while the Marma team documented traditional survival practices alongside emerging adaptation challenges. The Mro team investigated the impacts of climate change on natural resources used in producing the traditional musical instrument ‘Plung’, highlighting implications for cultural preservation. The Tripura team explored the effects of climate change on marginalized Indigenous women and their adaptation strategies, while the Tanchangya team examined growing water scarcity associated with stone extraction and the expansion of rubber and shegun plantations. Together, the studies demonstrated how climate change is reshaping Indigenous livelihoods, ecosystems and cultural practices in interconnected ways across communities.
The YAR initiative is a global UNESCO framework adapted in Bangladesh to strengthen Indigenous youth leadership through research, climate advocacy and community engagement. The initiative began in February 2025 following a national consultation on Indigenous language use and preservation convened by UNESCO, Maleya Foundation and Zabarang Kalyan Samity. Discussions during the consultation highlighted the importance of Indigenous knowledge systems and youth engagement in addressing social and environmental challenges.
Building on these discussions, 25 participating youth researchers received training on research methodologies, ethical considerations, data collection and community-based research before undertaking fieldwork across their communities over several months. Their work resulted in research papers and policy briefs focused on climate impacts and adaptation strategies.
Looking ahead, efforts are underway to sustain and expand the impact of youth-led research through continued