Redefining socio-environmental struggles: contributions from indigenous women from the Ecuadorian Amazon

AWAREFOREST proposes to study the sexual division of work in Ecuadorian Amazon, uncovering histories of struggles of indigenous women towards the advance of oil extractive activities.

The objective is to understand if, and in which way gender constructions (characteristics, behaviors and gender roles) contribute to develop different perceptions and reactions between indigenous women and men with regard to the social and environmental impacts of extractivism.

Through the concrete example of the Movement of Amazon Women Defenders of the Forest, this project will identify how these women are currently mobilizing and redefining meanings about their bodies and territories, based on shared reflections of personal and collective, local and global experiences of struggles for autonomy and self-determination.

In terms of training and career advancement, the objectives will be to expand the researcher’s participation in academic networks, to consolidate her research profile and integration in the profession.

As an early career researcher, this action will be fundamental for her integration in the European and South American research community.

Benefiting from the supervision of experienced academics and the support of research groups, LEIJUS (Brazil) and EXPERICE/LADYSS (France), this will improve the researcher’s capacity to produce academic publications, take part in international events and collaborations, opening new career possibilities.

AWAREFOREST innovative aspect translates into studying alternative knowledges and epistemologies, formed through socio-environmental struggles in the Amazonian context, opening up space for diverse forms of organization and views of life.

It is crucial to promote these knowledges at a time when the world is facing the effects of rapid climate change and many other ecological disasters derived from a patriarchal, colonialist and capitalist form of using nature, destroying particularly indigenous territories, knowledges and societies.