Colombia

Climate change, disasters and the struggle to protect natural and cultural heritage

As stated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Colombia, of all the countries in Latin America, is suffering the most natural disasters (droughts, floods, heavy rains) due to global climate change. Piedad Martin, offical of the UNDP, warned that in the coming years Colombia will experience a decline in agricultural productivity as well as the collapse of ecosystems like the forests. Furthermore, as reported by the IPCC, the retreat of Colombias glaciers are beeing observed and affecting already compromised water availablility (e.g. for consumption) further threateing the livelihood and health of the local population.

GenderCC's Colombian Partner - Claudi Gimena Roa Avendano - founded the non-profit organiszation Fundaexpresión based in the region of Santander (north-eastern Andean region of Colombia) in 1999. The organisations promotes participatory educational and investigation work within local communities and aims at empowering marginalised groups of society to acheive impoved living conditions, social organisation and conservation of their environmental and cultural heritage. A particular achievement has been the collective work with a Campesino School of Agroecology and a network of Community Forest Reserves, involving many peasant and women's associations, by fostering local skills and understanding of this natural and cultural heritage.

Claudia Gimena Roa wins essay contest on climate change

"If there is one thing that we, a group of different associations of rural women, community mothers, environmentalists and fisherwomen in Santander, Colombia, have had on our minds, it's our daily struggle to advance our work on the various subjects we deal with, in order to be able to tackle a range of issues, including the climate change crisis. In order to do so, we have wasted no time in launching dialogue through meetings and exchanges among ourselves, thereby allowing us to analyse and establish strategies and common ground through which to safeguard the environmental and cultural heritage of our region." (Abstract from the Essay: Impact of the climate crisis on the lives of women in the region of Santander, Colombia)

In September 2011, Claudia Gimena Roa has won the European Greens' essay contest on women and climate change. Furthermoe she was asked to speak about the topic of women and climate change at the 2nd Green European Summer University which was held at the Viadrina University in Frankfurth/Oder (Germany) and the Collegicum Polonicum in Slubice (Polandt) from 8th-11th September 2011.

To read the essay please click here.

Find the publication of "Women and Climate Change: Winners of the European Green Essay Contest" here.