Inter Mountain Peoples’ Education and Culture in Thailand Association

Inter Mountain Peoples Education and Culture in Thailand Association (IMPECT) is an indigenous and tribal non-governmental development organization founded and staffed entirely by representatives of indigenous communities involved in the Association. The Association focuses developmental work within the populations of seven indigenous and tribal peoples residing in the highlands of thenorthern provincesofThailand. The Association works to share similar situations and experiences between these different groups, applying traditional knowledge and wisdom to all aspects of its work. IMPECT programming focuses on

• Increasing the empowerment of ethnic leaders and networks
• Strengthening the capacity of minority group leaders to advocate their rights
• Increasing access to information on human rights
• Establishing mechanisms of legal protection
• Enhancing the dialogue and interactions between civil society organizations, government departments and international counterparts.
• Support to develop sustainable and non-exploitative livelihood options

The population of indigenous people inThailandface historical marginalization and systematic degradation of their basic human rights. Many indigenous communities lack Thai citizenship, are deprived of access to land and forest and therefore are sidelined from the development process. This leads to extreme poverty, lack of adequate health care, poor education and limited employment opportunities. As a result members of these communities are extremely vulnerable to multiple types of exploitation including human trafficking.

IMPECT has unique and extensive networks within the indigenous communities ofNorthern Thailand. The organisation seeks to strengthen and protect indigenous communities by providing them with the rights and abilities to determine their own future, focusing on education, cultural heritage, economics, law and political representation, and resource management, with a strong commitment to gender perspectives at all levels. IMPECT hopes to be a resource that enables indigenous people to achieve self-sustainability, increased confidence and dignity through the development and strengthening of national and international networks. The Association envisions that the creation of such self-determination will help ethnic minorities become universally recognized as equal Thai citizens, protected by the Constitution of theKingdom ofThailand and international conventions of human rights, while preserving their respective cultural autonomies.