Climate Justice
CHUBUT: MEETING OF THE NETWORK OF RURAL, INDIGENOUS, AND JUDICIAL WOMEN FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE 10/12/2024
On November 8, 2024, the cities of Rawson and Puerto Madryn hosted the meeting of the Network of Rural Women, Indigenous Peoples, and the Judiciary for Climate Justice. More than 80 residents of Chubut exchanged experiences and knowledge in response to the challenges posed by extreme climatic events. The Supreme Court of Justice hosted the event, and the work team met at the Legislature. The meeting concluded with a collective activity by the sea at the Ecocentro.
The initiative was carried out by the Fundación Foro del Sur, funded by the Euroclima+ fund, and implemented by the French Development Agency (AFD). The Network is backed by a strategic alliance with the Association of Women Judges of Argentina (AMJA). It is also supported by the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the French Embassy in Argentina, the Rural Women’s Association of Argentina (MRA), and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
On this occasion, the first "University Diploma in Climate Justice and Citizenship and Identity in the Territory" was presented, aimed at empowering and strengthening the capacities of indigenous and rural women as leaders in their communities. The career, offered by the National University of Tres de Febrero (UNTREF), will be taught virtually starting in March of next year.
The opening event was attended by the Ambassador of the European Union to the Argentine Republic, Amador Sánchez Rico; the Director of the French Development Agency in Argentina, Lorena Chara; the Minister of the Supreme Court of Justice of Tierra del Fuego and President of the Judicial Training Institute, Dr. María del Carmen Battaíni; and authorities from the Supreme Court of Justice of Chubut, including Ministers Silvia Alejandra Bustos, President of the SCJ, along with Dr. Camila Banfi Saavedra and Ministers Mario Luis Vivas and Javier Raidan.
After the formal ceremony, activities that were exclusively for the Network participants began. Coordinated by Florencia Brandoni, the women, regardless of their background, work, or origin, were grouped into different teams to carry out an activity. This activity involved selecting an image and expressing what they felt about it, what problems they saw, and what actions they proposed to address the issue.
The group "Guardians of the Planet," after seeing an image of a stork covered in oil, expressed feelings of pain, anger, and helplessness. They mentioned problems such as a lack of knowledge, the absence of regulations, and the inefficiency of the state. They highlighted the importance of spreading awareness and enforcing laws regarding industrial operations. They also suggested using the tool of popular consultations to determine the reach of industrial projects that could lead to pollution (such as mining).
"Nehuen – The Strength of Women," after seeing an image of a woman carrying a bucket of water, expressed feelings of sorrow and a sense of sacrifice. They told that "it is naturalized that water management is the responsibility of women, a constant and exhausting task. However, it is always the man who decides where investments are made." They also shared that "the woman shears and feeds the animals that the man sells, the woman manages small amounts of money, but the man handles the large sums." They emphasized the importance of having legal advice, raising awareness through institutions, and the need for community and judicial networks.
After the group activity, the specialist in satellite technology applied to projects with environmental impact and director of the Societe Generale D'Evaluation Des Territoires (SGEvT), Nancy Oliveto; the Academic Director of the Virtual University of Tres de Febrero (UNTREF), Mariana Vera Rossi; and the prosecutor and member of AMJA, Dr. Sandra Verónica Guagnino, gave a presentation that served as a trigger for an exchange among all the participants. Guagnino emphasized the importance of educating and providing information to the judiciary, that it often lacks. In this regard, the Executive Director of Fundación Foro del Sur, Marlise Ilhesca, expressed that "Knowledge and organization are strengths acquired through collective organization, which are used to face the challenges that climate change brings to women."
The final segment of the event took place by the sea, at the Ecocenter in the city of Puerto Madryn. There, participants engaged in a shared weaving activity to create a group flag.
More information about the Network of Rural, Indigenous, and Judicial Women for Climate Justice:
- Climate change deepens gender inequalities: inequalities are worsened in rural and Indigenous communities where women lack the right to sustainable food sources and housing.
- The Network provides access to Provincial Courts of Justice for women across the country to ensure the full exercise of their rights.
- The Network has more than 1,000 members, including agents, prosecutors, secretaries, and judges.
- In Argentina, 50% of the rural population is made up of women who cultivate the land, care for animals, process raw materials, and plant seeds that feed entire communities.
- According to the FAO, rural women tend to work 12-13 hours more per week than men. In the region, 39% of women over 15 years old have no income of their own and reinvest up to 90% of their earnings in their households, spending it on nutrition, foodstuffs, healthcare, education, and income-generating activities.
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