Casey Camp joins Amazonian Women for Defense of Earth

by WECAN International Dear Friends and Allies,  Last week, a Women's Earth and Climate Action Network delegation joined Indigenous women of the Ecuadorian Amazon for a historic International Women's Day mobilization in the jungle town of Puyo and the country's capital, Quito. Women leaders of seven Amazonian nationalities including the Andoa, Achuar, Kichwa, Shuar, Shiwiar, Sapara and Waorani people stood together for an all day forum and march denouncing newly signed oil contracts in the Amazon Rainforest. They called for respect for the rights of Indigenous peoples and local women land and community defenders, who have been putting their bodies on the line for years to halt oil drilling across their traditional territories. A tribute was also held in honor of Berta Caceres, an Indigenous environmental leader killed the previous week over her work defending rights and territories from privatization, plantations, and mega dam projects in Honduras. An estimated 500 people took to the streets and held forums and strategy sessions with fierce conviction, making it clear that women are not just victims of the fossil fuel industries, but rather vital solution bearers and powerful agents of change and restoration of balance between communities and the Earth. Ponca Nation leader, Casey Camp-Horinek of the WECAN Delegation was honored by the Amazonian women and invited to lead ceremony and walk at the front of the march. The women showed great unity and strength, and their voices and demands are now being shared widely. WECAN is working ongoingly with women of several nationalities, including the Sapara and Kichwa of Sarayaku, supporting them in next steps to continue gatherings and movement building amongst Amazonian women Earth defenders, bring elevated global attention to this crisis, and advocate for change within social, political and economic forums. It is time to keep the oil in the ground in the Amazon and across the world. It is time to respect the rights of Indigenous peoples and women, and to honor the frontline women working to protect the Amazon and it's vital living cycles, upon which we all depend. Learn more about the WECAN delegation and International Women's Day actions in Ecuador via our recent blog, EcoWatch article, and press release. To contribute your voice to the movement to stop oil extraction in the Amazon and stand with women defenders, sign and share the critical petition here - then take a moment to donate in support of justice for the peoples and lands of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Women leaders of seven nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon present in advance of the International Women's Day - No Extraction in the Amazon march in Puyo, Ecuador Gloria Ushigua, President of the Association of Sapara Women, Ecuador speaks during the International Women's Day forum. More than 40% of her people's traditional territory is threatened by the latest oil contract between the Ecuadorian government and Chinese oil company Andes Petroleum Members of the WECAN delegation marching with Rosa Ruiz, Sapara leader from Torimbo, Ecuador  Waorani women leaders share advice, reflections and calls to action. Their land in the Northern Amazon has already been devastated, so they are standing with their neighbors in the South to stop the expansion of extraction Casey Camp Horinek, Ponca nation leader and WECAN delegation member/Special Projects Advisor stands in solidarity and shares her experiences of environmental genocide at the hands of the fossil fuel industry in Oklahoma, USA 'Women of Ecuadorian Amazon and International Allies Stand For Protection of the Amazon Rainforest' March 9 report back event at FLASCO University, Quito - From left to right: Natalia Greene, Osprey Orielle Lake and Casey Camp Horinek  Narcissa Mashenta, Shuar leader of Morona-Santiago, Ecuador speaks at the FLASCO University event, Quito The Women's Earth and Climate Action Network, Amazon Watch and women leaders of the Kichwa of Sarayaku and Waorani people prepare to march in Puyo Thank you for your continued support of our work for climate justice and care for the Earth and all generations,     Osprey Orielle Lake and the WECAN International Team STAY CONNECTED: