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Water is essential and is used for energy production in hydroelectric plants. By means of dams, the natural course of rivers is modified, altering ecosystems both within and outside the watercourse. The environmental and cultural impacts of hydroelectric power plants are extensive. These include the loss of biodiversity, deterioration of water quality, and destruction of landscapes, settlements, and sacred spaces of the communities living around the river. Women are particularly affected by the construction of these large infrastructures in various parts of the world. The massive arrival of workers increases physical and sexual violence. The expropriation of land and means of livelihood forces many women into prostitution and others to migrate. Racist violence against indigenous, riverside, and black women intensifies. Many women fight to preserve their territory, even to the point of losing their lives in the process. In Brazil, where hydroelectric power is estimated to represent more than half of the total supply, affected women organize to defend their territory. Through the creation of arpilleras (jute canvases with sewn fabric patches), the women of the Atingidos por Barragens association record and denounce multiple human rights violations associated with hydroelectric plants. |
Tap an illustration to start your ecofeminism journey
Climate Vulnerability
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Ecofeminism
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Droughts and floods
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Salinization
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Eutrophication
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Water pollution
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Biodiversity loss
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Water as energy resource
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