“Environmental sustainability is essential for lasting peace in Cauca, because the territory and its natural resources are the heart of our identity and survival,” says Sandra Patricia Aguilar Carabalí.
As president of the Cauca Department Youth Network (REDEJOCA), she trains and empowers women and youth to protect and restore the rivers that indigenous communities of northern Cauca, Colombia, depend on. The Quinamayó, Palo, and Desbaratado rivers flow into one of Colombia’s most important waterways, the Cauca River, a lifeline for millions of people. The rivers have suffered years of environmental degradation because of industrial waste, pollution, conflict, and lack of waste management.
“Today many homes do not have drinking water,” shares Aguilar Carabalí. Diseases have spread among the communities relying on these rivers.
The environmental crisis is compounded for women in her community, she adds, as they are the ones providing water, preparing food, and caring for their families: “Many women must travel longer distances in potentially dangerous conditions to collect water, which not only jeopardizes their safety but also robs them of time that they could have used for education, work, or rest.
Cauca is one of the most biodiverse departments in Colombia. The conflict between illegal groups has led to the plunder of natural resources, land grab, and relentless violence.
“Historically, women have played a fundamental role in peacebuilding, working within their communities to preserve the environment,” explains Aguilar Carabalí. “Through their traditional knowledge and leadership, they have cared for biodiversity, restored ecosystems, and created sustainable initiatives. Protecting the environment is not only an act of conservation for them, but also an act of resistance to the violence and inequality in the region.”
By protecting the environment, environmental defenders like Aguilar Carabalí and others build sustainable livelihoods for communities and reduce the risk of conflicts.
“Peace and the environment are intrinsically connected in Cauca, and working for both is essential to guarantee a more just and equitable future for our communities.”