“Where our government kills, we cultivate life.”
– Maria Leusa, Munduruku leader
Text: Amazon Watch. Tomorrow we celebrate International Women’s Day with the recognition that it’s not simply one day a year, but every day that women take the lead in protecting our communities, our rights, and our climate.
That’s certainly true in the Brazilian Amazon, where strong women leaders play a crucial role in the Munduruku people’s determined and innovative struggle to defend their rivers and forests for future generations.
Amazon Watch supports the Munduruku women who defend their ancestral territories from destructive dams, illegal logging, and mining. They have garnered significant global solidarity and helped shine an international spotlight on their efforts to preserve their ancestral territory for the benefit of humanity.
This work has led to important victories, like last year’s cancellation of a mega-dam on the Tapajós River, and worldwide recognition, such as when Munduruku leader Maria Leusa traveled to Paris to accept the United Nation’s prestigious Equator Prize during the UN global climate summit.
In honor of International Women’s Day, please join us to support the efforts of these and other brave women defending their rainforest homelands, their cultures, and all life.
Leila Salazar-López
Executive Director
