Lesbia Artola: "It's hard to be a woman and a human rights defender"

Article by PBI-Netherlands

Leading a farmers’ organization as a woman? That is not easy in a country like Guatemala, which is strongly permeated by patriarchal structures. Lesbia Artola experiences this every day. The indigenous human rights defender is the coordinator of the Committee Campesino del Altiplano de las Verapaces.

It took her a lot of time and energy, but Lesbia Artola now heads the Committee Campesino del Altiplano (CCDA) for the departments of Baja and Alta Verapaz and Izabál. Over the past 5 years, the organization has guided 321 communities in this region. In this region, conflicts over land and natural resources are ubiquitous. Large landowners and transnational corporations are seizing the best land, diverting rivers, and destroying the livelihoods of the local population. There are also frequent violent evictions of farming communities.

“They wanted to silence us.”

Lesbia Artola

In 2018, five CCDA representatives in the Verapaz region were killed. Since then, PBI has guided the organization. “They wanted to silence us,” says Lesbia Artola. “It is very difficult as a woman to play a leading role in an agricultural organization that has grown and become stronger over the years. I have even been accused of being responsible for the deaths of my colleagues on the pretext that I would profile myself, ”said the activist. As a human rights defender, Lesbia Artola is constantly exposed to gender-based insults and threats.

Country titles for women
The CCDA takes many steps to empower women in communities and within the organization. Half of the functions in the traditional authorities (autoridades ancestrales) at the community level are already held by women, ”says Lesbia Artola proudly. Recently, the organization has also obtained 81 official land property rights for women. As a result, not only men are now landowners in the family, but women too. “This is a success and it gives us the energy to keep fighting,” said the activist.

More courage through international solidarity
Meetings with representatives and with civil society give Lesbia Artola extra courage to continue her fight: “Knowing that there are people all over the world, including in Europe, who are genuinely interested in our fate and our struggle, encourages me to g to. “

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