Andes – Women experience the shortage of (drinking) water differently from men, and climate change does not affect them in the same way either. CUIDAR* – of which ProtosAndes is a member – brings a strong gender perspective to bear, addressing inequalities and promoting equality in the Mayo Chinchipe river basin.
First, a few facts:
- Women are under-represented in civil society organisations and in the management of water resources.
- In the border region between Ecuador and Peru, there is an alarming prevalence of structural and domestic violence.
- Women are particularly vulnerable when it comes to access to (drinking) water and sanitation; poverty, lack of infrastructure and poor service provision exacerbate this situation.
Why do not more women participate in the structures designed to protect water? After all, are they not the first to experience that the water is unsuitable for drinking or cooking? This premise is of fundamental importance in the CUIDAR programme, of which ProtosAndes forms part.
Power relations vs vulnerability
The answer to the question of why more women are not involved in the management of water resources can be found in several areas:
- power relations regarding access to and control over water sources,
- the disproportionate workload, as women usually perform domestic and unpaid work,
- women’s vulnerability to physical, psychological and sexual violence,
- the fact that women are less likely to own land.
However, women also possess essential knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation, and it is important to recognise and disseminate this knowledge. After all, their involvement in water management has many positive effects:
- it not only strengthens conservation efforts,
- but also the resilience of communities,
- it improves the conditions for adapting to climate change and
- it promotes social justice, equal opportunities and sustainable development in the region.
We carried out a study on gender in the river basin, and based on this, we designed a positive action strategy. Through the “Binational Water School”, we trained leaders, both men and women, with a focus on the inclusion of women. The aim is to promote the equal participation of women in water management and to give them a voice.
Cuidadoras
With this in mind, we also created a space called the “Female Guardians* of the Mayo Chinchipe River Basin”. There, the specific challenges of ‘being a woman’ can be discussed and solutions developed. The findings are then taken to the decision-making level. In this way, women are actively involved.
This committee also gives rise to support groups for women facing violence.
Climate change
At the December 2024 meeting of these “Women Guardians”, it became clear just how differently climate change affects women and how mining damages the environment. This jeopardises women’s access to water and food. Women from the river basin who stand up for their rights are persecuted for their activism.
Women are resisting mining activities, demanding compliance with binational agreements and trying to protect their farmland. They are also demanding the right to participate actively in the development of integrated water management, to ensure that their needs are taken into account.
They demand that women’s voices be integrated into policy decisions and that effective policies be put in place to prevent gender-based violence and guarantee a safe and just environment.
- * CUIDAR – is the partnership between our various partners in Ecuador and Peru: Protos Andes, Naturaleza y Cultura Internacional, Gobierno Regional Cajamarca, Universidad Nacional de Loja, Universidad Nacional de Jaén, Trias, Bos+.
- ** Cuidador = guardian, carer, supervisor… which is also what the name of the partnership refers to.
- This article appeared in the “CUIDAR Boletin” newsletter.
- Read more about the Binational Water School.
- Support our activities in the Andes
With the support of
