| "Women are gradually opening up spaces" | | Monica Chuji Gualinga is a leading Amazonian indigenous Quechua, born in 1973 in Sarayaku, Pastaza Province, Ecuador. Is a social communicator, trained in human rights and peoples' rights in the Indian Education Program of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva, Switzerland, and Institute of Human Rights Pedro Arrupe, University Deusto, Bilbao, Spain, 2002. | constituent assembly was in the process of drafting the Constitution of Ecuador of 2008 and general secretary of the Government Communication Rafael Correa at the beginning of his mandate.
Foundation currently manages Tukuishimi (All Vocals) and is an active militant of the Federation of Kichwa Sucumbios and the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE). In this interview, granted to our correspondent Luis Angel Saavedra , Chuji reflects on the participation of indigenous women as leaders within and outside their communities.
Has there been in recent years a change in the role of indigenous women within communities? Have managed to open spaces for leadership?
still assuming the same role in the family, at home, in the cultural life of the community, but now have aspirations to play an important role in the change of life, to contribute to the strengthening of organizations. There is some increase in young women, new teammates who begin to assume the organizational role but, again, this does not mean they have abandoned their role in the family. More likely [to assume leadership roles] are women without children, who have separated or who are unmarried women who are with his family, who are married, they are always difficult and not have a continuum of participation, spend time in the leadership, as vice presidents in some cases, or as leaders of human rights or women, but disappear after that time because once again return to the community, to your home.
Does joining the leadership has led to advances in these women, or even have marginal roles and can not affect the overall vision of the leadership?
active participation, the opinions of women themselves in decisions that affect community and organizational decisions. However, there is still a wide margin of incidence. If an overall assessment is that there is a change in the partners; often considered and have more confidence in the leadership put a woman more than a companion. They say a woman president in the community is much more effective in question, in relation with the authorities, with the organization itself and with some colleagues who sometimes become irresponsible. There are women in regional and national level have been very active and they serve as examples for co-base. They are trying by all means and space to become more visible and be much more active in organizations. But ask yourself: How many of them have a level of impact? How many of them are much more active? How many of them have a level of! and discuss with leaders beat men? I believe that indeed, in the few women quantitatively speaking, there is a positive experience, women are gradually opening up spaces.
And outside of their communities are achieving positions of leadership, how this has been going and what challenges?
Women who in some way or another have had some training or are the product of processes of training, within or outside the country, looking for areas where they receive a payment or remuneration for their work. It is a challenge for our organizations to open up new initiatives to integrate women have been formed, women techniques to professionals. What is missing now is that the leaders, the councils of government, begin to attract them to call and open up new areas of work, make strategic alliances, training agreements with other NGOs to work according to actual needs the organization [indigenous]. The most obvious would be that people who belong to an organization [indigenous], formed, trained and has experience, return to the organization, but the problem is back and the organization has no resources, no new projects has been established , new programs, did not open other spaces! to exercise. There is also a responsibility women, in this case, they can also, with his experience, go to communities and support with ideas and new initiatives. That's what stewardship.
why women who have gone through the leadership, for example, by the governing councils of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), have achieved a position publicly?
For the Amazon, in contrast to the coast and mountains, there are many more women running local and provincial organizations. However, the difference is that these women have very little visibility, and one of the factors has to do with the issue of distance, where information is generated and how much impact can be nationwide. In the case of [the eastern province of] Orellana, for example, we have the president of the provincial organization that is one of the most active, with spokesperson, generating view, proposing, we have a fellow Member Shuar, for example, that the last time has been very active. Has a lot to see the level of responsibility, and trust also that they are taking at this age level male leaders. In the case of the mountain, there is an opening to give spokesperson for women or entrust any public performance. In the case of Amazonia, is much more limited that, and can! do speak from personal experience, because I still believe in the Amazon, despite having an experience, [women] are not yet ready to take on regional representation or to assume a public spokesperson. Still has much to do with the resistance of certain leaders.
How women become visible in the areas of international engagement with the Indians?
There are few other women who have assumed a role at international level. That all spaces are dominated by men, experts in different subjects and some women, few have taken a more visible role. Are the same women who, at national, have had some level of participation, are those that transcend international level and therefore can not expect a change of roles or a much higher level of participation of women. But what I can say is that the few who are participating have a fairly active role and that is positive, a much more proactive role, beyond the typical speech you go and listen within the United Nations. The new proposals are companions and more realistic, with reflections on the realities they see in their country, with national proposals with the potential to make deals with women's networks in other continents, other countries, and this stronger. Following
internationally, what are the proposals or anything that could encourage the participation of women in the field dirigencial?
The international arena has largely been left by the organizations, and women who have gone to these places are companions who assume some leadership at the national level, but not women who take a regional level, and less provincial. What is needed there, for example, train them, give them a basic overview of what is discussed at the international level, for example, that we are not detached from all international politics, that what happens outside the country has national incidence. National issues and proposals must be brought to international level. This strengthens the organization and, obviously, allows women to have other experiences, best practices, with women from other continents, other countries that can serve at one time women, nationally, regionally, or in the community. -Latinamerica. | |
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