Women leaders develop proposals in the IV Gathering of Indigenous Women of San Martin

Within this space, the women reflected on and proposed courses of actions relating to justice within their communities and the treatment of cases of violence against women and the family group.  

 

“If there aren’t women leaders, then women’s issues don’t get discussed. That is why it is important that we continue doing this work.” – CEPKA women leaders.  

 

 

“In my community there is already a women’s patrol, if they come across violence by men against women, the women punish this in the plaza…When the women are organised, with patrols and an Indigenous Mother, we feel supported and strengthened.” Woman leader from FEPIKECHA. Moyobamba, 4 June 2022. 

 

During the meeting it was agreed to continue promoting the Protocol of Attention for the prevention and punishment of violence against Indigenous women in San Martin, which arose from the collective reflection of the participants who have been sharing their experiences, feelings and demands since previous meetings; and from which commitments have been established with the Superior Court of Justice of San Martin since November 2021. 

 

"We want the protocol to be enforced, not just treated as another document, but to be complied with in an efficient way.” President of FEPIKECHA 

 

In addition, it was agreed to present demands that the Peruvian State implement interpreters for access to health and justice services. 

Other agreements reached were to form an Indigenous Women's Network in San Martin that can support efforts to implement the Women's Programme of the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Jungle – AIDESEP, along with its regional base CODEPISAM.

 

"We have to make the organisations understand that it is very important for women to participate in spaces, to make our rights and duties known." - leaders of FECONAKID, FEKHID and FEPIKRESAM. Moyobamba, 4 June 2022. 

 

The Awajún participants also highlighted the importance of decolonisation in processes of depatriarchalisation:

 

“We propose that we women should organise ourselves in networks, because we are not organised in the communities, the loss of values, degradation, has meant that the respect for women that we used to have is no longer there... If our people were warriors, it was because their women were warriors, with strength and determination, so we have to make men understand to go back to the origin, the issue is to articulate with the grassroots organisations" – Women leaders of FERIAAM. Moyobamba, 4 June 2022. 

 

"It is important that we elect women leaders in the community... It has not been easy for me to have this position, but I feel happy, even though at the beginning I was afraid when people called me "Indian". I told them with great honour, I am an Indian and I am happy. So sisters, let's work together, strengthen the community patrols and authorities." - FEPIKBHSAM leaders. 

It was also agreed to ask the Regional Coordination Body of the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations (MIMP) to include CODEPISAM as a representative of Indigenous peoples. It was also requested that a representative of the National Programme for the Prevention and Eradication of Violence against Women and Family Members - AURORA be present at the next meeting. Read more about the agreements here (Spanish only).

The three days of the meeting were an important space for the women leaders to continue strengthening their ties and articulating the struggle against violence in the communities and dispossession. On 4 June, in the square of Moyobamba, they decided to raise their voices in response to this: 

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&lt;em&gt;“Woman warrior, get up, pick up the fight, pick up the fight, pick up the fight, pick up the fight, pick up the fight, pick up the fight.”)&lt;/em&gt;" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="19d64178-6fc5-40b7-bf36-00c8a1510f78" data-view-mode=""></drupal-media><drupal-media data-align="center" data-caption="&lt;em&gt;El bosque no se vende, el bosque se defiende. Mujeres unidas, jamás serán vencidas (The forest is not for sale, the forest must be defended. Women united, will never be defeated. )&lt;/em&gt;" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="79720e45-8de3-47e8-a991-aa418b7906dc" data-view-mode=""></drupal-media>

The public space was also taken over to share the songs of the people:

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The venue for these activities was provided by the Decentralised Directorate of Culture, with the participation of the Amazonian Centre for Anthropology and Practical Application (CAAAP), the president of the Superior Court of Justice, Collective Sani Sacha, the Institute of Legal Defence (IDL) and Forest Peoples Programme.