Latin America

KAIROS condemns violence against Indigenous communities in Chiapas, Mexico

December 2, 2020

KAIROS is gravely concerned about the escalation of violence against Indigenous communities in the municipalities of Aldama, Chenalhó, and Chalchihuitán in Chiapas, Mexico. Members of the human rights program of the Diocese of San Cristobal de las Casas, a KAIROS…

Post filed in: Latin America

The OFP Calls for a National State of Emergency

November 25, 2020

This fall marks both the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Security Council’s Resolution 1325 and the fourth anniversary of the ratification of the Peace Accords in Colombia between the government and the former guerrilla group, the FARC. Integrating some of UNSCR 1325’s recommendations, Colombia’s Peace Accords have been heralded for their attention to the gendered…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

Demand that the Government of Canada Support Peace in Colombia

October 29, 2020

Violence in Colombia continues undaunted, and in some ways aggravated, by the COVID-19 pandemic. Just days after public health directives were put in place to contain the spread of the coronavirus in March, Carlota Isabel Salinas Pérez, a member of the Organización Femenina Popular (OFP) was killed. Carlota is…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

Where is the support for the women defending land and water, Canada?

August 25, 2020

This op-ed by Gabriela Jiménez, KAIROS’ Latin American Partnerships Coordinator was published in Canada’s National Observer on August 23, 2020.  Canadians care about the environment. Multiple polls found that the climate crisis was one of the top issues of the…

Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

“Territorial Feminisms and Diverse Ecologies”: A series of virtual gatherings on women and land defense

August 6, 2020

The Latin American Network of Women Defenders of Social and Environmental Rights, a KAIROS partner, will be hosting a series of virtual gatherings collectively called “Territorial Feminisms and Diverse Ecologies”  from August to December 2020.   The ten gatherings are organized around themes related to…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

KAIROS denounces the feminicide of María Angélica Polanco Medina of Barrancabermeja, Colombia

July 24, 2020

“It is with pain that we once again witness barbarism, dehumanization, and cruelty on the bodies of women.” Organización Femenina Popular  On July 22, the Organización Femenina Popular (OFP), a KAIROS partner, released a statement mourning the death and denouncing the feminicide of María Angélica Polanco Medina, an educator…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

Berta Cáceres’ legacy among women land and water defenders in Latin America

June 30, 2020

By Ivonne Ramos  KAIROS closes Indigenous Women’s Month with a reflection by Ivonne Ramos of Acción Ecológica (Ecuador). Ivonne was one of three panelists for KAIROS’ virtual book launch of Who Killed Berta Cáceres? Dams, Death Squads, and an Indigenous Defender’s Battle for the Planet. Vidalina Morales, president of ADES and a friend of Berta, and Nina…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

The Art of Sofía Acosta Varea (La Suerte)

June 20, 2020

Yesterday, KAIROS brought you an interview with Sofía Acosta Varea. Today, we bring you a sample of her work.   . . CACAÑAN (A Crappy Road)  Sometimes it’s good to see so much crap running around town.  Take water from the Machángara River. Mix this water with…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

KAIROS Interviews La Suerte (Sofía Acosta)

June 19, 2020

(sigue el texto en español) Sofía Acosta Varea aka La Suerte is an Ecuadorian visual artist who designed Mother Earth and Resource Extraction: Women Defending Land and Water’s (MERE Hub) logo and has created all of the illustrations for KAIROS’ digital hub on the gendered impacts of resource extraction. This…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

June 16: virtual book launch for “Who Killed Berta Cáceres? Dams, Death Squads, and an Indigenous Defender’s Battle for the Planet”

June 10, 2020

[español sigue]  Join KAIROS’ MERE Hub on June 16th at 6:00pm EDT for Who Killed Berta Cáceres? Dams, Death Squads, and an Indigenous Defender’s Battle for the Planet—book launch. This virtual book launch will feature author and journalist Nina Lakhani as well as members of the Latin American Network of Women…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights, Latin America

June 18: Stories of Courage: Women Defending Land and Water in Canada and Brazil

June 1, 2020

Watch our webinar recordings online. Join KAIROS’ MERE Hub on June 18h at 11:00am PDT / 2:00pm EDT/ 3:00pm ADT for Stories of Courage: Women Defending Land and Water in Canada and Brazil. This online teach-in is the last in a series of virtual events in…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

KAIROS Signs on to open letter in support of the Shuar Arutam People in Ecuador

May 14, 2020

Over 100 organizations from across the globe have signed an open letter—co-written by KAIROS partner Acción Ecológica, MiningWatch Canada, and others—in solidarity with the Shuar Arutam People (PSHA) in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Letter signatories join the PSHA in condemning the Government of Ecuador for sanctioning the…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

May 14: CNCA Webinar with KAIROS partners and federal MPs

May 10, 2020

On Thursday, May 14th, join KAIROS, KAIROS partners from the Philippines, and other members of the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA), including Development and Peace and the United Church of Canada, for a webinar during the Month of Action for Mining Justice. …

Post filed in: Asia-Pacific, Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

Women peacebuilders respond to COVID-19

May 6, 2020

Advising remote communities on how to protect themselves from COVID-19 and assisting women who are experiencing an increase in gender-based and domestic violence are a few of the ways that KAIROS’ Women of Courage: Women, Peace and Security partners are responding to the…

Post filed in: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America, Middle East

Online Teach-in on Community Self-determination in the Face of Resource Extraction in Guatemala and Canada

April 14, 2020

On Wednesday, April 22, join MiningWatch Canada for “Finding Common Ground: Community self-determination in the face of resource extraction in Guatemala and Canada.” This KAIROS-endorsed online teach-in will focus on the peaceful resistance to the Escobal silver mine in southeastern Guatemala owned by Pan American Silver (formerly…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

KAIROS Canadá condena la violencia que ha sido exacerbada por COVID-19 en Colombia

March 27, 2020

KAIROS: Iniciativas ecuménicas canadienses por la justicia, que aglutina a diez iglesias y organizaciones religiosas, condena los asesinatos de líderes y lideresas sociales a lo igual que el aumento de la violencia basada en género que han acompañado la propagación de COVID-19 en Colombia.  El 25 de marzo, KAIROS se enteró del feminicidio de una…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

KAIROS condemns the violence that has been exacerbated by COVID-19 in Colombia

March 27, 2020

KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, which unites ten churches and religious organizations, condemns the assassinations of social leaders and the rise in gender-based violence that have accompanied the spread of COVID-19 in Colombia.  On March 25, KAIROS learned about the feminicide of a long-time member of the Organización…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

A peace process undermined: Land defense and the non-repetition of violence in Colombia

March 13, 2020

The non-repetition of violence is a cornerstone of Colombia’s Peace Agreement between the government and the FARC—the former guerilla group (now political party). Recently published reports by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders in Colombia…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

Gloria Chicaiza, Presente!

January 8, 2020

By Rachel Warden, Partnerships Manager We have lost a courageous and compassionate defender of life, nature and dignity and a dear friend. When I learned from our partner Acción Ecológica in Ecuador that Gloria Chicaiza had started her journey to…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

Court ruling of women defenders of nature and peoples against mining

December 18, 2019

Towards the start of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based violence, Natalia Atz Sunuc wrote about her experience at the X Assembly of the Latin American Network of Women Defenders of Social and Environmental Rights, which took place in…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

Acerca de la X asamblea de la red latinoamericana de mujeres defensoras de derechos sociales y ambientales

November 29, 2019

(translation in English below) Guatemala fue sede de la X Asamblea de la Red Latinoamericana de Mujeres Defensoras de Derechos Sociales y Ambientales (13 al 17 de noviembre de 2019) de en la que participaron mujeres y organizaciones de mujeres…

Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

Women land and water defenders are the real peacebuilders

November 28, 2019

Large-scale resource extraction often perpetuates violence, even in countries with peace accords. Those who mobilize to protect the land and water to build peace are often women. Such is the case in Guatemala and Colombia, where extractive mega-projects with Canadian…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America, Op Eds

On defending the Indigenous women land defenders

November 26, 2019

A conversation with Dr. Sherry Pictou KAIROS has launched an online hub to connect and help further empower women land and water defenders in Canada and worldwide. Called Mother Earth and Resource Extraction– or MERE Hub, the resource was developed…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

Hoy 12 Tz´i´ en el calendario maya día para pedir justicia para las mujeres y la Madre Tierra

November 25, 2019

(Translation in English provided below) Es propicio para pedir justicia para las mujeres, que cese la violencia en su contra. Hoy 25 de noviembre, día en que se conmemora y se recuerda la lucha de las mujeres, como las hermanas…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights, Latin America

Press Advisory: KAIROS launches online tool for Indigenous women land defenders at Toronto event, November 27

November 25, 2019

(Toronto, ON) – KAIROS Canada presents MERE Hub on November 27 at Ryerson University (Architecture Building – 325 Church Street) between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. The panel event, featuring Indigenous women land defenders from Guatemala and Colombia, will officially launch…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

Launching Mother Earth and Resource Extraction: Women Defending Land and Water

October 31, 2019

On November 25, 2019, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, KAIROS will launch the first phase of Mother Earth and Resource Extraction: Women Defending Land and Water. Mother Earth and Resource Extraction (MERE) is a living…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America

Acción Ecológica’s releases analysis of October 2019 mobilizations

October 24, 2019

Acción Ecológica, KAIROS partner organization in Ecuador has released their analysis of the mobilizations that occurred earlier this month and the events that led to these. In it, Acción Ecológica celebrates the organizing efforts and achievements of the Ecuadorian people,…

Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Indigenous Rights, Latin America

Indigenous leaders reach deal with government of Ecuador

October 15, 2019

After almost two weeks of mass mobilizations, the people and Government of Ecuador reached a deal late Sunday night. In a dialogue aired live on national television and online, the President of Ecuador agreed to cancel Decree 883, the austerity…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Latin America