Youth Leaders Unite in Cachar to Champion River Governance and Community Resilience

A three-day workshop titled “Youth Leaders for Rivers: Learning Workshop” concluded today at the Cachar Club Conference Hall, bringing together young leaders from across the region to collaborate on river governance, water rights and community resilience.

Organized by the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS) with support from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the event was held from March 24 to 26 under the Youth Basin Ambassadors (YBA) initiative. It aimed to connect youth working across the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna Basin and deepen their understanding of river systems, governance challenges and community-driven solutions.

Participants included youth representatives, NEADS members, civil society actors, local partners and experts from academia and river basin organizations. Throughout the workshop, sessions focused on legal rights of river-dependent communities, indigenous perspectives, civic engagement, participatory research tools and media narratives on rivers.

Interactive activities such as group discussions, debates and project design sessions helped participants develop practical, basin-focused initiatives. A field visit to Rupaibali Oxbow offered hands-on insights into community resilience and real-world river governance challenges.

NEADS Director Tirtha Prasad Saikia highlighted the importance of youth leadership in sustainable river management, emphasizing the need for stronger networks and collaborative action across regions.

The workshop concluded with reflections on key learnings and a call for continued youth engagement to strengthen river stewardship and community-led water governance across the basin.