México 2006 IV Foro Mundial Del Agua

México 2006
IV Foro Mundial
Del Agua
Bottom-up meets Top-down: learning lessons from LatinAmerica and Africa
Indigenous Women and Andean Wetlands Protection and Tourist
Exploitation
Maria Angelica Alegria
Gender and Water Alliance
Mexico City
March 18, 2006
• Geographical/ecological setting
Context/Background
¾ Water Law amendment of 1992 prohibited any groundwater
exploration & exploitation of aquifers associated to these wetlands
¾ Food & water supply for species in danger of extinction (vicuna,
guanaco, llama and alpaca, etc.)
¾ Only source for survival of Andean indigenous communities
¾ Unique ecosystems
¾ Technical studies & assessments to protect aquifers that originate
wetlands both, the State and the communities carried this out
¾ Legal Protection and joint work of governmental agencies and
indigenous communities.
¾ Creation of income generating activities and women’s involvement
™ What was done?
¾Planning & field work done with communities
(women and men) & governmental agencies
¾Legal protection
¾Dissemination
material
(posters
and
brochures), about the importance of these
wetlands and their protection, oriented to
productive development activities (eco tourism
or ethno tourism) that communities can
perform
¾Workshops with communities (both women and
men) to learn how to promote the beauty and
the importance of these wetlands
™ How women became active in income generating activities?
Indigenous women (atacameña), asked to the agency of the
natural protected areas the administration of one of those
protected wetlands, the CHAXA lake, to run and operate it for
tourist exploitation, take real and effective care of these
protected wetlands and keep their ancestral lands unchanged.
In 2002 they signed a contract with this agency and since then
they have been operating this area
Currently they have 4 guides, 3 of them women, and 2 female
administrators
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™ How women became active in income generating activities?
Since they started, more than 39.000 visitors have gone to the protected
area.
Otros
™ What’s next?
These women have involved another indigenous communities
and there are now asking for new areas to exploit:
• Protected Areas:
–
–
–
–
•
Tambillo
Pujsa
Tara
Aguas Calientes
Eco-Turist Circuits
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