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Defending the Heart of the Earth 

Alexia Lizarraga, Amos Trust

Across Mexico and Central America, women activists are at the forefront of a profound struggle. These are not just battles for climate justice or environmental preservation. They define themselves as land defenders —many of them indigenous and from rural communities—fight against extractive, agricultural, and industrial projects that threaten their lands, natural resources, and ways of life. This blog explores their stories, the risks they face, and the support provided by initiatives such as Amos Trust’s Climate Fellowship.

Violence against the defenders

Latin America has consistently been the most dangerous region for those defending the environment and human rights. According to the Global Witness report, in 2023, 85% of the 196 murders of environmental activists occurred in Latin America, with 45% of the individuals being indigenous people. Women accounted for 12% of these cases and faced additional violence due to their gender. Similarly, Front Line Defenders reported 300 murders of human rights defenders in 2023, with 237 occurring in Latin America. These crimes are concentrated in countries like Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and Honduras, driven by factors such as impunity, corruption, extractivism, and struggles for territorial control.

The risks and violence faced by defenders are deeply intertwined with structural injustices like patriarchy, which not only reinforces the power structures these women challenge but also perpetuates oppression based on gender, class, and ethnicity. In Latin America, these patriarchal dynamics manifest as gender-based violence and the criminalisation of women who challenge dominant economic and political interests. A recent example is the case of Sandra Domínguez, a Mexican activist who has been disappeared. Sandra gained notoriety for denouncing cases of gender-based violence and femicides, including accusations against state and federal officials who shared sexual photographs of indigenous women in a WhatsApp group. 

Forced disappearances in Mexico act as a form of collective punishment imposed by organised criminal groups, often with the direct or indirect involvement of government agents. “Are they alive? Are they being tortured, punished, abused?” These are the questions that haunt the relatives and friends of the disappeared, reflecting a shared, pervasive trauma. Sandra’s case is a painful reminder of the more than 100,000 individuals who have disappeared in Mexico, a stark illustration of the ongoing crisis of violence and impunity.

The Climate Fellowship

At Amos Trust, the Climate Fellowship supports these courageous women by providing funding and training for climate justice projects. Through this initiative, young women activists in Mexico and Central America are empowered to lead transformative efforts that address local challenges. Their projects range from helping communities adapt to climate impacts to defending vital ecosystems from destruction.

One of these fellows, Lucía Ixchiu, an indigenous Maya K’iche’ activist, offers a poignant perspective: “In our language, we call it the heart of the Earth, and we are part of it.” For indigenous defenders, the Earth is not a resource to be exploited but a living entity of which they are an integral part.

Experiences in Tancítaro

Such acts of violence affect women defenders of the land, as seen in the community of Tancítaro in Michoacán, one of the communities we visited in August as part of the Climate Fellowship. There, women defenders are fighting against avocado monoculture in the Pico de Tancítaro, a protected natural area that has seen its biodiversity and water sources threatened. In Tancítaro, the avocado industry has driven rapid land clearing, drastically reducing biodiversity and threatening water sources that are critical to the region’s ecosystem. These women defenders work tirelessly to resist these pressures and advocate for sustainable practices in the protected area.

Two women in the community shared that they had previously run as candidates for political positions in their community. Throughout their campaign, they faced various forms of gender-based violence, with men telling them, “Your place is not here, but in the kitchen.” Beyond verbal harassment, women defenders often experience physical intimidation and social ostracisation aimed at reinforcing traditional gender roles.

Another two women, members of the Movement for the Defence of the Forest and Water Basins in Tancítaro, spoke about their efforts to protect the reserve from illegal loggers. “Everyone has a life, but few are those who do something for it,” one of them said, referring to the risks they face in fighting illegal logging in the reserve. Although their work is dangerous and they have received death threats, they remain steadfast in their mission to protect the forest.

A Call for Solidarity

As the climate crisis intensifies, it is essential to listen to those who live in harmony with the land they defend. Their perspective challenges us to rethink our relationship with the Earth—not as something external, but as part of who we are. Through the Climate Fellowship, Amos Trust aims to not only support these defenders but also learn from their wisdom and resilience.

By standing with them, we are reminded that the fight for the heart of the Earth is a fight for our shared future. Let their courage inspire us all to protect the land that nurtures us.

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