The project aims at enhancing the capacity of the Indigenous Peoples in selected countries in Africa and Asia to engage in constructive policy dialogues and/or participatory mechanisms with a view to develop strategies and initiatives to improve their well-being and economic and social status, including through the promotion of social integration and inclusive development. The formulation, implementation and evaluation of the project respond to the principles upheld in the UN Declaration on the Rights of indigenous Peoples and other related instruments, both international and regional. Thorough capacity building of both national and local governments and indigenous leaders, especially indigenous women and youth, the project aims to promote the participation of indigenous peoples in decision-making processes at national, regional and local levels, towards more inclusive development that is responsive to their needs and priorities. The project also intends to enhance the capacity of governments to develop policies, programmes and legislation that recognize and respect indigenous peoples' development rights and priorities and that include their full and effective participation in national socio-economic development policies. This will advance greater cooperation, national cohesion, and improve relationships between indigenous peoples and governments while also reducing tensions and misconceptions. The project will establish new consultative mechanisms, and/or strengthen existing ones where applicable, such as participatory policy dialogues, between the government representatives and representatives of indigenous peoples utilizing mediation, consensus building, constructive dialogue, participatory and inclusive development planning. The ultimate beneficiaries of the project are the indigenous peoples in the countries participating in the project.

The objective of the project is to strengthen capacities of governments, scholars and civil society as well as youth and youth-led organizations in select African countries for evidence-based formulation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programs on youth. The project will conduct a review of youth-policy related data in three African countries followed by national workshops to identify youth policy priority areas as well as data gaps based on the empirical evidence gathered. Further, the project will, in consultation with national, regional and global experts, review existing national, regional (such as the African Youth Charter (AYC) and the African Youth Decade Plan of Action) and global youth action plans and related indicators (such as the World Programme of Action on Youth (WPAY) as well as the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets and indicators), to identify suitable indicators for mainstreaming and monitoring the implementation of national, regional and global youth action plans and policies. The interventions will further develop recommendations on the application of these indicators for national youth policy formulation, monitoring and implementation and provide support to related capacity building. The project also aims to raise awareness on the use of youth indicators and support their dissemination to local youth policy makers in order to strengthen youth civic engagement at the local level. Critical to the success of the project is the active and full inclusion and participation of all relevant stakeholders, particularly youth and youth-led organizations in all steps towards the identification of relevant indicators and their application in the formulation, monitoring and implementation of more inclusive policies that are responsive to the needs and priorities of youth in Africa. Finally, the project will convene a regional workshop for project beneficiaries and additional countries as well as regional intergovernmental bodies, civil society, youth-led organisations and academia to engage in a dialogue to share best practices and to agree on a set of recommendations on evidence-based policies on youth to be presented to a wider audience in sub-Saharan Africa.