Women have an essential role to play in peace building. We are the ones looking for balance for our children. There are very few mothers who want to see their children carrying a machine gun, so we need to do everything possible to stop that from happening.
I had a farm up in the mountains, but I was by myself. And because of that, I had a lot of problems. Men would cut my fence, or take my cows, or try to take things from my home. I had to leave with my son.
I can’t be inactive. I called the mayor at the time, a woman, and I said, “let’s fight, let’s fight for women’s rights and for our wellbeing.” So, we started calling women, and we created a group of about 120 women.
When women cannot control their economic situation, they have to submit. And so, we’re looking for economic empowerment. That was in 2015 and we’ve been growing since then.
Now, we have different productive units, different fields, and we’re growing herbal plants in the rural areas, and we have women who are also committed in town.
It has visibly empowered women; women who were being beaten, being abused, or even being raped by their husbands. These women have separated from their husbands. They’ve realised that they are important, they have value, that they are beings who are equal to the man.
The fact the security situation here has deteriorated has made it more difficult for us because we look out for the crops. The illegal groups have been telling us that they’re going to start planting coca again.
It’s wrong to be involved in the illicit economy. I tell the women, “look at your children. You have kids that are growing up. Do you want to see your kids in jail, or do you want to see them with a gun over their shoulder running through the mountains?”