International Women's Day
To celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day we’ve curated a dedicated playlist that focus on women’s issues and the crucial role they play in defending land rights.
“Up to 2.5 billion people hold and use the world’s community lands, yet the tenure rights of women—who comprise more than half the population of the world’s Indigenous Peoples and local communities—are seldom acknowledged or protected by national laws.”
Find out more in RRI’s report.
Share these stories: #InternationalWomensDay
The Baniwa women of the Upper Negro River (AM) lead the production of their traditional pepper, the Baniwa Jiquitaia Pepper. Their strength was demonstrated in the inauguration of the Canadá Community House of Pepper, on the Ayari River, in May 2018. From the farming of the peppers to the labeling, filling and management of the […]
Alessandra Munduruku speaks about the challenges her people and the indigenous peoples of Brazil are facing.
Nemonte Nenquimo is a young Waorani woman leader whose grandfather, Piyemo, was a legendary Waorani warrior who lived and hunted in what is today known as Yasuni National park. Now, Nemonte is returning to her grandfather’s homeland—a land transformed by oil companies and contamination—to bring clean water to the Waorani communities living in a dire […]
Berta Cáceres, Honduras’ most well-known land and environmental campaigner, and winner of the International Goldman Prize for the Environment, was brutally murdered in her home over a year ago. More people in Honduras are killed per capita than anywhere else in the world for defending the land and over 80% of cases go unsolved. “Worth […]
In a rapidly dwindling community forest the people of Pandumaan & Sipituhuta have put up a strong fight to stop the growth of monoculture eucalyptus plantations. But the aggressive actions of the company & its close alignment with local politicians & the police have led this struggle down a dark path – protests, intimidation, arrests […]
When the Paris Agreement is being signed in the UN, Women, including indigenous leaders from Guatemala and Indonesia spoke about the need for their role to be recognised in the fight for climate change and climate justice. Organised by the Women's Global Call for Climate Justice.
Mutis Mountain, an area of rich biodiversity the headwaters for all of West Timor’s major rivers, which supply drinking and irrigation water for much of the people on the island. The indigenous Mollo people’s survival is inextricably linked to these natural resources, which are considered sacred. By organizing hundreds of local villagers to peacefully occupy […]
The humble babassu palm provides a livelihood for communities of women across North Eastern Brazil. Bread, charcoal, oil and soap are produced from the nut and husk; the surplus is sold on. But production has not always been so peaceful. Babassu: Brazil’s Warrior Women tells the story of the hard battle to maintain these communities’ […]
A short documentary about the youth movement in Kalimantan to tackle and end of the forest fire and toxic haze that has been happening since 1997. A story of people struggling during the worst toxic haze in 2015 and their hope, told by a young Dayak activist based in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan. When Women Fight […]
Traditional puberty custom has been a rite of passage for young Emberá women but in recent years it is not being practised as often. Young women share their views on the custom and how it ties into their culture and identity. Film by Ginger Sanchez From the youth training workshop in Panama August 2018
In March 2018, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Victoria Tauli-Corpuz brought together indigenous representatives from around the world to hear their testimony on the violence and legal prosecution they face for defending their lands. Find out more at theyshouldhaveknownbetter.com
A few words from Tonnia Fernandez Solis. 1 minute of wisdom coming straight from the heart. Tonnia is coming from the Bribri Talamanca indigenous community in Costa Rica.
The Guardians of the Forest arrived in Berlin yesterday, meanwhile Rusmedia talks about life in North Sumatra defending their land against corporate interests.
The Guardians of the Forest are indigenous leaders from Mesoamerica, the Amazon Basin and Brazil, Indonesia and the Congo Basin. They are travelling across Europe on their way to the UN Climate Conference in Bonn to tell the world about the situations indigenous peoples are facing and that they are the real climate solutions.
Watch the full film here: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/films/conflict-eucalyptus-indigenous-communities-indonesia/
Find out more about Rusmedia here: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/who/rusmedia-lumban-gaol/
Mama Do from Aru, Maluku, Indonesia is part of of the Guardians of the Forest tour #COP23
Although she is the only female champion of the tribe fighting for her customary lands, Mama Do remains strong despite continued intimidation from members of the police, criminalization, and even death threats.
She continues to tell her story tirelessly across Europe.
Recalina speaks about the murder of her husband Charlie Taylor, who was killed in 2013, in Nicaragua, defending his land.
Indigenous leaders who are on a tour of European cities on the road to Bonn #COP23 demand for a halt to the violence and criminalization of indigenous leaders and activists.
Watch the full film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnZ-oBAvlXA
Nedine Helena Sulu, indigenous youth from Tombulu Pineleng, Minahasa. She is one of the initiators of the campaign to reject the formal education system that puts aside traditional culture.
Diana Rios is an Ashaninka youth leader from Alto-Tamaya Saweto in the central Peruvian rainforest. In this video she speaks about the urgency of acting now while we still have forests.
Mara Barrigon is a jagua painter (traditional Embera body paint) and part of the Embera cultural collective Dji Ta Wagadi, which is working to reclaim their culture through filmmaking, storytelling, painting, language, music and dance. In this video Mara speaks about her experience in the UN Biodiversity Conference COP13 in Cancun, Mexico.
Dina Júc is a youth leader from the Utz Che‘ Association in Guatemala. In this video she asks the Guatemalan authorities to respect the equilibrium that their communities have with their forests and to respect their rights as indigenous people.
Yuam Pravia, Miskitu youth leader and representative of Masta Miskitu, speaks at the UN Biodiversity Conference COP13 about the importance that indigenous peoples stand united.
Susana Dominguez is an Hñahñu (Otomí) graduate of language and cultura from San Cristobal, Michoacán, Mexico. In this video she speaks from the UN Biodiversity Conference in Cancún about the experience of meeting other young indigenous leaders and filmmakers, and being inspired to make films herself.