Engaging Women and Indigenous Peoples in Geospatial Information on the Amazon Biome. Advances on the State of the Question.

Abstract:

Much has been written about development projects and the threats they often pose to the Amazon Biome: new energy and transportation infrastructure, natural resources extraction, rapid agro-industrial expansion. There is abundant evidence of increasing deforestation and contamination of rivers and soils with mercury from illegal gold mining. Furthermore, indigenous peoples and women are increasingly marginalized from the benefits of “development”, planned or not. Pressures on sustainable development occur in the context of serious institutional limitations at national and local levels and civil society’s incapacity to respond to these pressures. The SERVIR-Amazonia program proposes to expand the use of space-based remote sensing (GIS) and other geospatial technologies to bring together these communities and marginalized groups around this complex set of issues.

To engage the least favored Amazon communities and women in the interest of social inclusion, transparency, and access to information is complex. For that reason, we need to review the record of experiences in the Amazon countries in order to recognize the progress already made, along with the gaps and limitations. We present the results of a study that documents how women and indigenous peoples have participated in projects, policies, development and scientific activities using GIS and to clarify the existing differences between men and women in an effort to minimize (or eliminate) negative impacts and improve the services in favor of the most vulnerable people, particularly women and indigenous peoples. The study considers literature review, a survey and interviews as sources of information and analysis.

The study addresses this question: What is the potential for information technology to a) Reach and benefit women (or different groups of women) in the Amazon, b) Help close gender gaps in the Amazon

The findings from this study lead to interesting paths for further exploration that may orient both public policy and the institutional focuses in furthering more socially sustainable and equitable development.