Earlier this month, around 70 participants, including 50 Indigenous women leaders from across the Peruvian and Ecuadorian Amazon, gathered in Pucallpa, Peru, for “Indigenous Women: Care and Resistance,” a two-day TechCamp aimed at fostering collaboration and addressing the pressing threats to their territories, rights, and communities.
Hosted by Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS) in partnership with the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP) and the Ucayali Regional Organization of AIDESEP (ORAU), the TechCamp was an empowering space for dialogue and collective learning.
TechCamps are a unique form of a workshop supported by the U.S. State Department, which supports innovation and collaboration to tackle global challenges around the world. RFUS has used this model to bring together scientific experts, civil society, and Indigenous organizations to address social and environmental challenges in the Amazon rainforest since 2019.
In this latest convention, held on September 4th and 5th, women participants explored ways to strengthen their communities, defend their territories, and support one another in the face of growing external pressures such as illegal logging, mining, and drug trafficking, as well as gender-based violence.
“These kinds of spaces are important for Indigenous women. Things used to be different, and there wasn’t participation, but now things are changing, and at AIDESEP, we are working towards great participation,” said Teresita Antazú López, a member of AIDESEP. She also recognized the significance of these women coming together on September 5th, Indigenous Women’s Day.
For Janet Velasco Castillo, a representative of the Regional Association of Indigenous Peoples of the Central Jungle (ARPI SC), the event was crucial for strengthening teamwork and creating joint strategies. “We need to share and tell our stories to find strategies that allow us to defend our territories and strengthen ourselves as women,” she said.
This space allowed Indigenous women to share their experiences in defending their territories, and how the challenges they face as women are different within the context of their communities. “For defending our territories, our brothers have fallen [been killed]. But there is no justice. We are threatened by invaders, logging, mining, and drug trafficking. The big question is, what do we do about it?” expressed Francisca García Silva, a Shipibo leader from the Federation of Indigenous Communities of the District of Padre Márquez (FECIDPAM).
For her part, Amalia Añez from the Native Federation of the Madre de Dios River and its Tributaries (FENAMAD) reflected on the deep connection with the ecosystem that they sustain and protect. “The forest for me is my home, my house; from the forest, we live, we feed ourselves, and we breathe pure air—it is the lung of the world, it gives us water and medicine,” she stated. She also highlighted the importance of creating space where Indigenous women can come together and discuss the issues they face. “Before, we were ashamed to speak, but now we all want to speak. This is a pleasure for all the women leaders from all the communities. We are going to achieve something great for our communities,” she said.
“We are worth a lot because we think, but we just aren’t given the space. We see the forest as a living being that grows,” said Stany López, an Asháninka leader and member of the Association of Native Communities for the Integral Development of Yurúa Yono Sharakoiai (ACONADIYSH), stressing the profound connection of Indigenous women with the land.
“This event provided a platform for Indigenous women to exchange knowledge, build strategic alliances, and strengthen their role as defenders of their territories. By working together, these women are not only protecting their territories but also ensuring a future of dignity and resilience for the next generations”, said Kathya Castillo, Gender & Inclusion Specialist at Rainforest Foundation US in Peru.
The TechCamp was co-organized by AIDESEP, ORAU, the US Embassy, and Rainforest Foundation US, with technical support from Re:wild, the Foundation for Conservation and Sustainable Development (FCDS – Peru), and the ASL of the World Bank.
Read more about the latest TechCamps
Uniting for Wildlife: Highlights from a ‘TechCamp’ Workshop in the Peruvian Amazon
Indigenous TechCamps: An Incubator for Indigenous-Led Solutions in the Peruvian Amazon
