Women and environment
Within Rio de Janeiro, about a third of the population lives in a favelas (Favelas, 2009). The rich and the poor live directly next to one other, which creates a dramatic contrast. In the favelas, houses are made of wattle-and-daub and people live in constant shortage of utilities since electricity and water are often hard to access. Discrimination, violence and no chance of participation characterizes this place. The environment has a direct effect on the life of people, especially women. Living in a degraded place means that women must find more energy to struggle with the environments and have less time for education. Environmental degradation impoverishes women’s and children’s health. These hidden-victims have little control on this condition. The Dutch foundation “She Moves” is a network that starves for social change, locally and internationally. This report will evaluate how it is possible to fight for change, in Brazil but also in other countries. From this point, some suggestions will be set out.
In the Netherlands, even if women have access to high education, only 3% of them are on the top position in the public sector. People involved in the foundation “She Moves” can then get inspired by helping. The main project is to raise funds to support education. There are no school in the favelas, which means no support from the environment. Parents often have no education and they do not see why their children, especially girls, should prepare the “pre-vestibular” to access the free public universities where only the best students can go. People who are living in the favelas have sometimes a great potential but it is wasted since they have no hope and no role model. Mayra Avellar is a young Brazilian girl who won the children peace award 2008 for her successful battle against extreme violence in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. She is a proof that things can change and that it is possible to refuse the situation. Some other initiatives are more discreet. In Rio de Janeiro, the photograph JR takes pictures of women affected by the environment and sticks them in public places “transforming the towns in which these women live into testaments to their strength and forbearance” (Sociological Images – Art as social commentary, 2009). These individuals initiatives are powerful since they raise the awareness of the public toward this issue.
Living in strongly patriarchal rural communities makes it hard for women to manage their lives and their education. Women should be involved in environmental and educational decisions, which should benefits for each interest group, so women can control the direction of their own lives. Ecofeminism might be a way to explore since it reveals how oppression of nature is related to the oppression of women and promotes the establishment of life-affirming, consensual relationships. “Women’s income can also create the conditions for expanded opportunities, choices and autonomy – all of which advance the larger goal of gender equity and equality” (UNPFA, 2001). That is why education plays an important role in letting women redefine gender relations and access more easily to information and service. The Brazilian government has established a quota program for women. Each political party should for instance involve 30% of women but to date, this quota has never been met (Brazil – Are quotas goof for Brazil, 2009). It can be pointed out as well that leaving this environment is not necessarily the solution for those women since they are vulnerable to economic and sexual exploitation. The position of women in Brazilian favelas is definitely accurate to be addressed since it shows that even in harsh situations, things can still evolve by initiatives such us Mayra’s or “She Moves”’ ones.
References:
AIUK : Brazil: Women-The ‘hidden victims’ of the favelas. Retrieved Mar. 15, 2009, from Web site: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=17727
Avitus. The Children’s Peace Prize. Retrieved Mar. 15, 2009, from Web site: http://www.childrenspeaceprize.org/en/
Brazil – Race: Are Quotas Good for Brazil? – Racism in Brazil – March 2002. Retrieved Mar. 15, 2009, from Web site: http://www.brazzil.com/cvrmar02.htm
Favela documentary – Mayra Avellar wins Children’s Peace Prize. Retrieved Mar. 15, 2009, from Web site: http://www.faveladocumentary.com/wp/?p=63
Favelas. Retrieved Mar. 15, 2009, from Web site: http://www.macalester.edu/courses/geog61/chad/thefavel.htm
Idiarte, M. (13 March 2009). Workshop “She Moves”. Den Haag: The Hague University.
Rooyen, v. M. (2008). Mayra.
Sociological Images » ART AS SOCIAL COMMENTARY. Retrieved Mar. 15, 2009, from Web site: http://contexts.org/socimages/2009/03/15/art-as-social-commentary/
She Moves. Retrieved Mar. 15, 2009, from Web site: http://www.shemoves.info/
UNPFA. (2001).The State of World Population 2001 published by United Nation Population Fund, Chapter 4: Women and environment.