Colombia: Where Indigenous Women Take Lead on Land Rights, Communities Thrive

Mar 6, 2020 | Andrew J. Wight
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MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA – Across the globe, women are on the front lines of protecting traditional and Indigenous land from threats like mining, ranching, and a range of other challenges — but they often struggle to have their own rights to these lands recognized and respected. In some places, the church is stepping in.

In the developing world, women may make up only 10 percent of landowners, according to the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Even those who do have a deed or title may still not have a strong say over their land: They may face social restrictions that make them dependent on men for farming, or if a marriage ends in divorce, a woman may receive a smaller, less fertile parcel of land.