Women’s Circles for the Protection of Amazonian Territories

In Colombia, Indigenous communities are on the front lines of climate change. Since 2016, deforestation in the Amazon has accelerated, destroying the country’s rich biodiversity. The Ticuna Indigenous community is the largest ethnic group in the Amazon, living primarily from fishing, hunting, agriculture, and crafts, and aiming for self-sufficiency. Exposure to external influences can have negative effects, creating greater dependency on external resources and contributing to the erosion of traditions. Within this community, women are responsible for feeding their families, managing all activities related to land use: seed collection, planting seedlings, maintaining forested plots, and more. Supporting these women in sustainable forest management is essential to protecting their territory. Despite their responsibilities, women’s roles are undervalued, and they continue to face persistent gender inequalities.   In response, FORESTEVER—already active with the Ticuna community in reforestation initiatives—launched a project specifically for Indigenous women. The project has three main objectives:

1. Create women-only circles for knowledge exchange and practical and theoretical workshops on health and Amazonian territory, empowering women to reclaim their role within the community.
2. Reforest the area with trees useful for food and medicine.
3. Preserve and transmit ancestral traditional crafts.