In the context of International Women’s Day, Sister Marbelis Monroy, general coordinator of the Amazonian Intercultural Bilingual Education Network (REIBA), reflected on the meaning of being a woman in the Amazon today, highlighting her deep relationship with life, biodiversity, and the defense of the territory.
For the nun, being a woman in the Amazon means living in deep harmony with the biodiversity that surrounds this sacred territory. A reality that, like the lives of many women, is threatened and often undervalued. In this context, being a woman implies a daily struggle for recognition of dignity, rights, and respect for one’s own body and the needs of Amazonian women.
Monroy emphasizes that the strength of Amazonian women lies in their essence, their resilience, and their ability to continually rebuild themselves in the face of adversity. Throughout history, women have been able to forge new relationships, create spaces where life can flourish, and preserve the historical memory that allows for the resistance and continuity of the different ways of life present in the region.
However, despite the progress made thanks to the struggle of many women, major challenges remain. Lack of opportunities, wage inequality, limited access to education, femicide, domestic violence, and the underrepresentation of women in political and leadership spaces continue to profoundly affect the lives of Amazonian women, also impacting their physical and emotional health.
The REIBA coordinator also emphasizes that Amazonian women’s deep connection with nature is a source of renewal and spiritual strength. For them, the Amazon is their common home, a space that transmits the energy of the Creator and inspires them to remain steadfast in their defense of life. That is why they care for it, protect it, and love it, because it is part of their identity, their history, and their very essence.
On this International Women’s Day, Sister Monroy invites us to remember the progress made, celebrate the achievements, and at the same time strengthen the struggle for concrete actions that will overcome oppressive and exclusionary structures. Only in this way will it be possible to move toward true equality of opportunity and full recognition of women’s voices.
Finally, she points out that for the Church to truly have an Amazonian face, it is necessary to open new paths and build relationships that promote social transformation. This implies fully recognizing the fundamental role of women both in the Church and in society, as well as their contribution to building a more just and less unequal future committed to the defense of life in the Amazon.