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Mother's Day is internationally celebrated throughout the month of May, and at this special time, the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network invites you to join us in honoring, celebrating and standing in solidarity with women around the world rising as mothers, as caretakers, and as protectors and defenders of our precious collective mother, Mother Earth.
Today and everyday, we commit to working together diligently with our diverse networks and partners to bring support, action, and global attention to the struggles and solutions of frontline women. During this time of love and celebration of mothers and our Mother Earth, we stand with the countless women land defenders putting their lives on the line to resist extraction and environmental degradation, and build a just, thriving and sustainable world.
The vital work of women leaders comes at a time of immense climate crisis, and for land defenders, in a landscape of risk, criminalization and persecution. All of our lives, the integrity of the living Earth, and the future of generations to come depends upon the work of many outstanding women land and community defenders.
In this newsletter we are sharing updates from courageous and brilliant mothers, aunties, sisters, grandmothers, and daughters - who are protecting and defending Women's rights, Indigenous rights, the global climate, and the Rights of Mother Earth and all her waters, forests, and communities.
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WECAN Indigenous Women's Delegation Advocates and Takes Action at the
UN
Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York City
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The Women's Earth and Climate Action Network was honored to organize and host an Indigenous Women's Delegation to New York City for the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) Eighteenth Session.
The Indigenous Women's Delegation participated in and advocated at events, forums, high-level meetings, media outlets, and a rally with a specific focus on the inextricable intersections between climate solutions, Indigenous rights, women's leaderships, forest protection, and stopping fossil fuel extraction.
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WECAN International Indigenous Women's Delegation and allies outside the United Nations in New York during the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Photo Credit: WECAN International/Teena Pugliese.
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We were very honored to host and facilitate the participation of
Sônia Bone Guajajara. National Coordinator for the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) on our delegation - particularly at this time of increased assaults on Indigenous people and the Amazon in Brazil.
Sônia
spoke at a high-level session at the United Nations, participated in various events and actions, and gave interviews to multiple media outlets including CNN, 'The Patriot Act' with Hasan Minaj, and 'On Contact' with Chris Hedges.
WECAN International also co-organized a rally and petition delivery at the Permanent Mission of Brazil. This action, led by Indigenous peoples, featured Sônia Bone Guajajara, who denounced Brazilian President Bolsonaro's egregious attacks on Indigenous rights and territories, particularly in the Amazon.
During the petition delivery, WECAN international was able to secure a face-to-face meeting between Sônia and the UN Ambassador to Brazil, providing an opportunity for Sônia to directly deliver the signed petition and share the demands of Indigenous peoples and their call to protect the Amazon.
Thank you to the inspiring and courageous Brazilian Indigenous leadership of APIB and COIAB, who co-authored the petition. We are also grateful to have co-organized the rally and petition delivery with our allies at Amazon Watch, Defend Democracy in Brazil Committee and Brasil Solidarity Network.
Directly support and learn more about Sônia Bone Guajajara and Indigenous peoples' struggles and solutions in Brazil
HERE.
WATCH AND SHARE the video of Sônia speaking out in New York City!
Many thanks to filmmaker, Teena Pugliese.
"Our sacred territories are the ones giving the clean water, the fresh air, not only for us but for the whole planet. We truly need to stop this model of developing the economy and destroying Mother Earth. We're here to confirm that the fight for Mother Earth is the mother of all fights. New York is known for being the center of the world but the place that will save the planet is the Amazon." -- Sônia Bone Guajajara, National Coordinator for the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB)
WECAN International organized events, as well as co-organized
others where Indigenous women from North and South America spoke out against the environmentally and socially destructive activities and policies threatening their homelands and presented their visions and strategies to shape a healthy and equitable future for their communities and the Earth.
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'Indigenous Women of the Americas Protecting Mother Earth: Struggles and Climate Solutions 2019'
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'Indigenous Women of the Americas Protecting Mother Earth: Struggles and Climate Solutions', was a public event featuring vital stories and analysis from Indigenous women of the Americas. The women leaders shared stories demonstrating how traditional knowledge guides their work as they challenge governments, corporations and big banks to stop destructive activities and promote Indigenous-led solutions to uplift communities and stop the worst effects of climate change. Thank you so much to our allies at ClimateMama for their wonderful support during this event!
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Several of the speakers at the 'Indigenous Women of the Americas Protecting Mother Earth', public event held during the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York City.
Photo Credit: WECAN International.
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Featured Speakers:
- Betty Lyons (Onondaga Nation, Snipe Clan), President & Executive Director, American Indian Law Alliance
- Sônia Bone Guajajara (Araribóia Indigenous Land of the Guajajara people), Executive Coordinator for the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil
- with interpretation by Maria Paula, Founder of A Drop in the Ocean
- Catalina Chumpi (Shuar), Coordinator of the Organization of Indigenous Women of Pastaza Province
- with translation and comments by Leila Salazar Lopez, Executive Director of Amazon Watch
- LaDonna Brave Bull Allard (Lakota) Historian, Founder & Landowner of Sacred Stone Camp
- Eriel Tchekwie Deranger (Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation), Executive Director, Indigenous Climate Action
- Melina Laboucan-Massimo (Lubicon Cree First Nation), Just Transition Director, Indigenous Climate Action
- With moderation and comments by Osprey Orielle Lake, Founder and Executive Director of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network
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Speakers at the formal UN side event, 'Indigenous Women Land Defenders of the Americas'. Photo Credit: WECAN International/Teena Pugliese.
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The UNPFII is a vital international forum for Indigenous women to have their voices, responses, and solutions heard by the public, media, and government representatives. We are honored to have spent time at the UNPFII uplifting women's stories and voices and meeting with friends and allies from across the world to deepen our connections and collaborate on future projects and actions at this critical time.
LEARN
more about our advocacy work at the UNPFII, from some of the media coverage of our delegates, events, and actions:
Thank you to all the presenters, delegation members, co-organizers, volunteers, funders, and participants who made our work in New York City a success!
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Online Training - Indigenous Women on the
Frontlines of Fossil Fuel Resistance
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Wednesday May 22nd, 2019
11:00am PST/ 2:00pm EST
(US time - please check your own time zone to join us!)
You're invited to join us on
May 22nd for 'Indigenous Women on the Frontlines of Fossil Fuel Resistance',
the second session of our 2019 series of Online Education and Advocacy Trainings For Women For Climate Justice!
Global women are advocating and taking action against extractivism and leading fossil fuel resistance movements as we collectively struggle to halt further climate disruption and protect our communities. In great part, extractivism is rooted
in co
lonialism, patriarchy, and a dominator worldview, and is perpetuated through the current predator economic system. This model is destroying the Earth's natural systems of life, and has a particular and unique impact on women and Indigenous communities.
During the training, presenters will share stories, calls to action, and the latest updates from various campaigns, including movements to prevent the destructive impact of the Line 3 pipeline in Minnesota, the Bayou Bridge pipeline in Louisiana, tar sands extraction in Canada, and oil extraction in the Amazon.
Indigenous women and allies across the Americas continue to work diligently to address issues of extraction, colonization, Indigenous rights, Rights of Nature, violence against women, and women as critical defenders of the living Earth. While Indigenous women are central to climate solutions, they also are disproportionately impacted by its negative effects due t
o environmental racism a
nd unequal gender norms, which marginalizes their voices and impacts their economic opportunities, rights, bodies, education, and political power.
FEATURING:
- Monique Verdin - Houma Nation, filmmaker and activist (USA)
- Nina Gualinga - Kichwa leader of the community of Sarayaku (Ecuador) *to be confirmed
**Call-in details below**
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How to Join the May 22nd Online Training
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This free, online training will be hosted via Zoom.
Option A - Join via your computer/internet connection:
Option B - OR Join by phone:
Dial - +1 408 638 0968 (US Toll) or +1 646 558 8656 (US Toll)
Enter the Meeting ID: 415 415 2016
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Historic WECAN Indigenous Women's Tongass Delegation in Washington D.C.
The Tongass is Under Attack!
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WECAN International Indigenous Women's Tongass Delegation members meet with Jim Hubbard, the new Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, who will supervise the Forest Service at the USDA.
Photo Credit: Melissa Lyttle.
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"We are here in support of the current Roadless Rule to protect the largest national forest in the country, the Alaska Tongass National Forest, which is in Tlingit territory. Our people have been here over 10,000 years, and we are here to protect and preserve the land so we can be here 10,000 years more. Our culture is alive and we want our traditional ways of life that have protected the forest to continue for future generations." -- Kari Ames, Tlingit, Alaska Native Voices Cultural Heritage Guide, Keeper of traditional life-ways
From March 11th to 13th, 2019, a WECAN International Delegation of Indigenous Women from the Tongass Rainforest of Alaska assembled in Washington, D.C. to advocate for the Tongass, and the continuation of the Roadless Rule, an important measure to protect Alaska's Tongass National Forest, which falls within the traditional territories of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian Peoples.
The Delegation to D.C. was the first time Tlingit women traveled to the Capitol to fight for and protect their traditional territory, communities, and the global climate. WECAN was grateful to partner with the environmental firm, Earthjustice as the women participated in 16 meetings, including the Alaska Delegation, Congressional committee staff, USDA, and the Forest Service, to address current attacks on forest protections. We also held a public event where the women shared their community stories and calls to action to protect their ancient forest homelands.
WATCH and SHARE our new video [via
Youtube
or
Facebook
] - to learn more about the Delegation to Washington DC.
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Updates Following the WECAN
Indigenous Women's Tongass Delegation
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Following the Indigenous Women's Tongass Delegation, two congress members, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Representative Ruben Gallego (D-NM) introduced The Roadless Area Conservation Act, on May 2nd, 2019, which aims to prevent logging and destructive road-building in the Tongass National Forest.
The Tongass is the largest remaining temperate old-growth rainforest in the world, and is critical in helping stabilize the climate. The legislation being introduced is a key effort to protecting this vital forest and the life-ways of the Indigenous communities who have lived in and cared for this forest ecosystem since Time Immemorial.
While we continue to monitor this legislation closely, the U.S. Forest Service is moving forward with a large timber harvest sale on the Prince of Wales Island. This devastating project would lead to massive old-growth logging in the Tongass National Forest.
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Shutting Down Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco
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WECAN International was honored to join Idle No More SF Bay, 350 Silicon Valley, and other allies to shut down the Wells Fargo Bank at their Headquarters in San Francisco last month.
We joined organizations and individuals for the culmination of the 'March for Fossil Fuel Freedom', a 34-mile walk from Palo Alto to San Francisco exposing "Oily Wells" Wells Fargo Bank, as one of the leading financiers of disastrous fossil-fuel industry projects on the planet.
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Protectors block the doors of Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco during the 'March for Fossil Fuel Freedom'.
Photo credit: WECAN International.
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"We have no more time; we cannot be extracting any more fossil fuels. We are done with Wells Fargo, one of the financing companies behind these dangerous fossil fuel projects that are violating Indigenous rights, violating human rights, destroying our communities - and this is a disaster for global climate."
--
Osprey Orielle Lake
Executive Director, WECAN International.
Our demands are clear: Wells Fargo must divest f
rom fossil fuel pipelines and stop funding Line 3.
The bank has policies that state they respect Indigenous rights, yet they continue to violate treaty rights of Indigenous peoples. There must be accountability and justice.
At this urgent time of climate crisis, Wells Fargo needs to conduct a managed decline off of fossil fuels, and instead invest in a renewable, regenerative energy future, for the Earth and all generations.
Thank you to all the organizers and attendees of this action, it is vital that we continue to put pressure on big banks to divest from dirty fossil fuels.
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May 16 - 18
Frontline Oil and
Gas Conference
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JOIN US for this Indigenous-led organizing summit connecting over 200 frontline, POC, grassroots participants, and allies to discuss and take action on Indigenous Rights, resistance to the fossil fuel industry, the Rights of Nature, and much more!
https://frontlineoilandgas.org/
WECAN International is honored to be on the conference Steering Committee with the main leadership of The Ponca Nation of Oklahoma and Movement Rights.
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Blog - 'Women for Forests' Online Training
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On April 3rd we hosted the first session of our 2019 series of Online Education and Advocacy Trainings For Women For Climate Justice!
The "Women for Forests" online training brought together presenters from Brazil, Alaska, The Democratic Republic of Congo, and Paraguay to share stories and lessons from women's work to stand for global forests.
Around the world, from the rainforests to the temperate zones, diverse groups of women are rising up to protect vital forest ecosystems from deforestation, fossil fuel and mining extraction, agribusiness, and a host of other threats. Through their work, they are protecting irreplaceable biodiversity and the sources of community life and livelihoods, while also spearheading efforts to reforest damaged lands and to sequester carbon - thus helping to mitigate against the worst effects of global climate change.
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Thilmeeza Hussain Assigned as Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Ambassador to the United States from the Maldives
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Thilmeeza Hussain, who serves on WECAN International's Advisory Board, was recently appointed as Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Ambassador to the United States for the Maldives!
Congratulations Thilmeeza! We look forward to the vital work you will do for gender and human rights and climate justice.
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Waorani Win
Historic Legal Victory to
Protect Amazon
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The Waorani people have won a legal victory to protect 1/2 million acres of rainforest from oil and set a historic precedent for indigenous rights!
WECAN International is one of 55 organizations to sign on in support of the Waorani, and we are thrilled to share this news.
Let's ramp up pressure to permanently protect this land.
Thank you to all the critical work of our allies at Amazon Frontlines.
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Photos of Advocacy Work at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
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Sônia Bone Guajajara, National Coordinator for the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) outside of the United Nations during the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues.
Photo Credit: WECAN International/Teena Pugliese.
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LaDonna Brave Bull Allard (Lakota) standing in solidarity at the 'Stand with Indigenous Peoples of Brazil and the Amazon' rally and petition delivery. Photo Credit: WECAN International/Teena Pugliese.
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Sônia Bone Guajajara delivering thousands of signatures to the UN Ambassador to Brazil. Photo Credit: WECAN International/Teena Pugliese.
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Sônia Bone Guajajara with CNN during the 'Stand with Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, the Amazon and the Climate' - Rally and Petition Delivery. Photo Credit: WECAN International/Teena Pugliese.
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Eriel Tchekwie Deranger speaking at the 'Indigenous Women of the Americas Protecting Mother Earth' public event. Photo Credit: WECAN International/Teena Pugliese.
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May 5th
National Day of Awareness for #MMIWG
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May 5th was the National Day of Awareness for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls, which brings awareness to the disproportionate rate at which Native women experience violence or go missing.
that Native women are murdered at 10 times the national average.
This crisis is a human rights issue and must be addressed. To learn more about this serious epidemic, please see the Urban Indian Health Institute
for more resources.
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Photos of the WECAN Indigenous Women's Tongass Delegation in Washington D.C.
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WECAN Indigenous Women's Tongass Delegation, Washington D.C.
Photo Credit: Melissa Lyttle.
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WECAN Indigenous Women's Tongass Delegation meeting with New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland in Washington D.C.
Photo Credit: Melissa Lyttle. |
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WECAN Indigenous Women's Tongass Delegation on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. Photo Credit: Melissa Lyttle.
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WECAN Indigenous Women's Tongass Delegation outside of the Capitol
in Washington D.C.
Photo Credit: Melissa Lyttle.
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