Mulheres e meio ambiente: um estudo sobre a organização das agricultoras familiares no nordeste do estado do Pará

Abstract

Women play a crucial role in family farming but face profound challenges such as lack of recognition for their work, gender discrimination, and limited access to resources. Moreover, they suffer disproportionately from the depletion of natural resources, further aggravating political oppression and exclusion. This work investigates how women family farmers in Northeast Pará contribute to nature preservation and local development, and how social movements strengthen this connection, combating gender inequality and promoting women's empowerment through organizations like the Landless Workers' Movement (MST) and the Northeast Pará Women's Movement (MMNEPA). The study is divided into three chapters and aims to understand the connections between the work of family farmers and nature preservation, analyzing the actions of women's social movements and their contributions to local development, sustainable resource management, and the fight against gender inequality. The specific objectives include understanding the relationship between family farmers and nature in Northeast Pará by identifying issues, productive activities, and gender dynamics; identifying mobilization strategies to access publics politicals related to the productive activities developed by MST and MMNEPA women farmers; and developing a socio-political environmental diagnosis to assist farmer movements in systematically understanding their activities. To achieve these objectives, qualitative research with literature, bibliographic, and documentary review was used as the methodology. Field research was also conducted at meetings, mobilizations, marches, and fairs organized by the farmers. Additionally, interviews with 25 women farmers were conducted, and a participatory mapping workshop was held at the Abril Vermelho settlement project. From this, a systematization of the main issues claimed by the groups was obtained, along with a survey of the social profile and production of the farmers, and the development of two participatory maps.