Indigenous Women stand together against Charter Change

Today, March 8, International Women’s Day, we celebrate all women, no matter their age, sexual orientation, identity, or social status. Each year, we commemorate this day to recognize women from all over the world. Today, however, is not simply a day for women. It is a day to remember, appreciate, and honor the courage of every single woman who sacrificed her life, joined the struggle, and raised the voices, position, and status of women in various spaces.

Today, our experiences of being undermined, discriminated against, abused, and violated, in different forms and manners are etched in our hearts and minds. Experiences that continue to bleed through the fabric of the lived realities of women, and indigenous women.

LILAK (Purple Action for Indigenous Women’s Rights) stands together with Indigenous women to commemorate International Women’s Day. Decades have passed since Indigenous women held their ground against the exploitation of our natural resources. With their collective strength, Indigenous women continue to challenge large corporations, and destructive mines and plantations. Since then, and until now, Indigenous women have been steadfast in facing greedy, selfish, and power-hungry capitalists and politicians.

This March, we gather as women and Indigenous women, to voice our opposition to the increasingly aggressive exploitation of ancestral lands, and the abuse of our remaining natural resources through the proposed revision of our Constitution. The proposed revisions seek to overwrite provisions that serve to protect us against transnational corporations.

The Marcos Jr. administration, just like the administrations past, is tenacious in pushing for so-called development that favors the interests of corporations and makes us to be heavily reliant on foreign entities and the private sector. This is a system where Indigenous women, who lead the process of food production, and the protection and defense of the environment, human rights, and their right to their ancestral land and self-determination, invariably suffer the most.

Poverty, hunger, loss of livelihood, and violence— these are the consequences of the kind of development that looks at land, natural resources, and the environment as capital for businesses and tools for monetary gain. Marcos Jr.’s proposed charter change (CHA-CHA) will worsen the bastardization of Indigenous communities, of ancestral lands, and our environment. These changes will aggravate violations of human rights and further silence those who defend them.

We, women, will not be swayed. We will not be made fools. We will not dance to the rhythm of the few. We stand by our collective position — reject and oppose CHA-CHA.

In spite of poverty, discrimination, threats, and intimidation, we continue to fight in solidarity with our sisters. We continue to raise our voices. Courageously and wholeheartedly, with the solidarity and support of our peers and communities, we continue to push for a society without discrimination, and without violence against women—with protection of our environment and natural resources, and utmost care for one another.

Heed the call of Indigenous women:

Land, food, and livelihood — not corruption, not violence. Not CHA-CHA.

#NotoCHACHA
#WomensDay2024