Breaking the mould: the need to recognize and value the work of female indigenous leaders

Female indigenous leaders such as Aida Quilcué, Daniela Soto Pito, and Mercedes Tunubalá are assuming more prominence and instigating change in indigenous, regional and national contexts

Article written by Sophia Martínez Kleebauer & Daniela Guerrero for Feminun

In recent years, discussions surrounding indigenous communities have gained importance, driven by increased access to information about their realities. Issues such as the significance of their rights and their influence on social matters, particularly highlighting the role of indigenous women, have increasingly placed them in the spotlight. In this article, we will explore and recognize their work, analyzing their impact in Colombia and establishing a clear connection between these women, their struggles, and the concept of intersectionality. 

First, it is crucial to know that Colombia is home to over 102 indigenous peoples, and the reserves they inhabit, covering approximately 46% of the country’s natural forest, play a vital role in protecting resources such as water and agricultural land, according to WWF Colombia (2024). However, despite their importance, these communities face serious challenges such as forced displacement, deforestation, and land degradation in their territories, alongside the stigmatization present, which predominantly affects women. This is why many indigenous women become leaders, because they find themselves in the need of raising their voices to make a difference in their community. They are activists committed to defending human rights and preserving their territories, traditions, and culture. 

Being a female indigenous leader requires resilience, as resisting the ongoing extermination of indigenous peoples and, simultaneously, confronting gender-based violence has made their leadership the most victimized among women in Colombia (La paz en el terreno, 2024). This context aligns closely with intersectional feminism, which acknowledges how multiple identities-such as being a woman, being indigenous, and being a human rights defender, for example, intersect to create unique forms of discrimination and oppression. According to UN Women (2020), this term was introduced in 1989 in Kimberlé Crenshaw’s article, "Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex." In it, Crenshaw critiques bourgeois classical feminism by highlighting how African American women experience inequality differently from other groups. This suggests that social, historical, racial, and gender structures shape the forms of inequality and issues each group of women faces, including indigenous women. 

Furthermore, understanding the oppression of gender and the historical injustice of colonialism is key to grasping these struggles. For this reason, intersectionality also encompasses the fight for decolonization, a crucial element in the recognition of indigenous rights. Aida Quilcué, a prominent politician and indigenous leader from the Nasa people, stated to the Truth Commission: "In the face of the deepening war, history shows us that we have resisted to survive over time and space. (...) For indigenous peoples, it is essential to know the truth, but a truth that decolonizes that discriminatory and racist perspective." 

Indigenous female leaders not only challenge patriarchy but also ethnic and colonial oppression, combining their resistance with the defense of their culture, land, and gender, embodying the core of intersectional feminism by highlighting these intertwined realities. Given the numerous obstacles, including exclusion from power due to gender inequality and discrimination, their activism is often minimized through mockery, sexual harassment, and criminalization. Nevertheless, many have managed to gain recognition in public spaces.  

One notable example is Mercedes Tunubalá, often known as "Mamá Mercedes," who is an economist from the Universidad del Valle and the first indigenous woman to become mayor of Silvia, Cauca. Her campaign promoted the women of her community by highlighting their traditions, such as the use of medicinal plants and wool weaving. However, further measures are needed to ensure their protection, as the Observatorio para la Defensa de la Vida (Odevida is the Spanish acronym for the Observatory for the Defense of Life) reports that between 2019 and March 7, 2023, a total of 104 female leaders were assassinated in Colombia. These numbers reflect a disturbing reality in the country, marked by violence, discrimination, and the violation of indigenous women’s fundamental rights. These issues stem largely from perceptions of these women as threats and the lack of recognition for their work and identity, both within their communities and across various social contexts. 

Another example of a leader whose work deserves more recognition is Daniela Soto Pito. She is a young female indigenous leader from the Nasa community, who came to prominence on a national scale when she was shot in Cali by a civilian during El Paro (general strike) of 2021. Daniela was there as part of the unarmed Indigenous Guard who had arrived to Cali to express their solidarity with strikers in that city and display their dissatisfaction at the failure of the Colombian government to comply with programs agreed within the 2016 peace deal and the general deterioration of the security situation in departments such as Cauca as a result. The violent reaction encountered by the Indigenous Guard highlights the problems of stigmatization that are still present among certain sectors of Colombian society. As a member of the Women’s Program of the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC), Daniela emphasizes that she has deepened her understanding of violence, both internal (within her community) and external (perpetrated by the state, institutions, and armed groups), because recognizing the existence and causes of these forms of violence is key to addressing them effectively.  

It is vital to raise awareness about the challenges faced by indigenous women leaders. Indigenous female leaders, who fight for equal rights, play a vital role in defending their cultures and building peace, particularly in areas affected by the armed conflict; the connection between their struggles and intersectional feminism is clear, as both movements seek social and political change that benefits historically marginalized communities. These women not only embody the resilience of their peoples but also represent the fight for a more just and equitable society.

References 

Arias Suárez, V., Mayorga, C., & Gómez, J. (2020). Lideresas indígenas: Resistir para defender la vida. La paz en el terreno. https://lapazenelterreno.com/especiales/defender-la-vida/lideresas-indigenas.html 

Observatorio para la Defensa de la Vida. (2023). Resistir en la adversidad: Balance de violencia contra mujeres lideresas en Colombia. https://www.pares.com.co/post/resistir-en-la-adversidad-balance-de-violencia-contra-mujeres-lideresas-en-colombia  

UN Women. (2020). Explainer: Intersectional feminism—what it means and why it matters. https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2020/6/explainer-intersectional-feminism-what-it-means-and-why-it-matters  

WWF Colombia. (2024). El aporte de los pueblos indígenas al país es invaluable. https://www.wwf.org.co/?364960/El-aporte-de-los-pueblos-indigenas-al-pais-es-invaluable