In Paraguay’s Lower Chaco, Indigenous communities are advancing justice and leadership through rights training and women-led gatherings—fostering a future rooted in dignity, advocacy and collective strength.
In Pozo Colorado, Paraguay, a powerful gathering of Indigenous women from the Enxet Sur people offered a chance to learn through shared stories, identity and strength.The event, organized by CWS local partner, the Pastoral Social Diocesana de Benjamín Aceval (PSDBA), brought together women from seven communities, creating a space for connection and healing.
“It is not just a gathering. It is a silent rebellion born of love for the land, for voices once silenced that now echo louder than ever. Here, women no longer wait to be given a place—they claim it with dignity, with ancestral wisdom, with the strength of a thousand generations pulsing through their veins,” shared organizers from the event. “Each word shared is an act of healing. Each gaze is a spark that ignites the fire of what is possible. Each story is a seed for a future where being a woman, being Indigenous and being free is not a contradiction, but a sacred legacy.”
Special guests enriched the experience by speaking about the importance of organized community leadership and grassroots advocacy, including Bernarda Pesoa, Qom leader and member of the Gran Chaco Women’s Collective, Liz Sandra Ramírez, an Indigenous educator, and Herminia Ferreira of the Lower Chaco Indigenous Leaders’ Coordinator.
Justice Where Forgetting Begins: Human Rights Training in Indigenous Communities
Earlier this month, PSDBA also led human rights training sessions across three communities in Villa Hayes. These sessions focused on fundamental rights—life, health, education and more—with the goal of equipping Indigenous residents with the knowledge needed to claim and protect their rights.
Attorney Raquel Pérez from PSDBA’s Indigenous Team coordinated the sessions, and the response from community members was overwhelmingly positive. Many participants emphasized how knowing their rights gave them the confidence to demand accountability from authorities.
Women’s strong presence stood out—many came with children in tow—and male participation is steadily growing. This shared learning experience is helping to build a stronger, more informed community ready to advocate for itself.
Walking Forward Together
Whether through legal training or communal gatherings, PSDBA’s work in the Paraguayan Chaco reflects a powerful truth: Indigenous communities already hold the wisdom, strength and leadership needed to shape their own future.
By centering women’s voices, honoring ancestral knowledge and empowering individuals through rights awareness, these initiatives help ensure that justice, dignity and belonging are not only claimed—but lived.
This program is supported by our local partner, Pastoral Social Diocesana Benjamin Aceval (PSDBA), with the financial support of Growing Hope Globally. To learn more about our work in Latin America, click here.