Angela Mendes, president of the Comitê Chico Mendes, called for greater recognition and support for women defending forests and the Amazon at COP31 in Antalya, Turkey. (Foto: Instagram)
Angela Mendes, daughter of environmentalist Chico Mendes and president of the Comitê Chico Mendes, called for greater recognition and support for women defending forests and the Amazon during a speech Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the 31st U.N. climate conference, or COP31, in Antalya, Turkey.
“No woman defender should have to face the threats directed at her alone,” Mendes said. She urged organizations and networks to work together to support activists, emphasizing that help should be ongoing—not provided only after a threat arises—and should include collective efforts to develop solutions.
Mendes also said forest defenders are on the front lines of attacks and violence. “It is essential to bring this issue into the discussion because our leaders are in their communities, facing all kinds of threats, attacks and violence,” she said, adding that such incidents often do not reach the general public.
The panel where Mendes spoke included 11 activists from different countries and focused on the challenges faced by people working to defend their territories. The Comitê Chico Mendes is participating in COP31 through Mendes and Ana Luiza de Lima, the committee’s general coordinator. The conference is being held in Turkey from Nov. 9 through Nov. 20.
