We, Women are Water 2020: Rebels from Bañado Sur

In Bañado Sur on the outskirts of Asunción is the Cateura garbage dump, the largest in Paraguay. On a daily basis it receives 1500 tons of waste, and with this volume it has exceeded its capacity considerably. Uncontrolled waste, pollution, floods and precarious access to services are some of the problems facing the population of the area.

One hundred thousand people live in the Bañado Sur area. The women of the area live in extreme situations throughout the year. In certain periods, they are overwhelmed with water due to flooding associated with climate change and inefficient public services, while in other periods they suffer from a lack of drinking water for consumption. Many families are forced to migrate and leave their homes during both extremes. Those women who stay in Bañado Sur are forced to walk long distances to obtain water suitable for human consumption.

In the context of these daily struggles, Rebeldes del Sur (Rebels from the South), an organization formed by young women, coordinates efforts with other groups and collectives to denounce the situation they face in Bañado Sur. Their advocacy work is directed at local and national authorities, and they demand that the State guarantees the rights of people to live in an environment free of contamination, with access to permanent drinking water, and without their lives and property being constantly in danger from flooding.

Rebeldes del Sur also demand that the city government of Asunción allow effective participation in urban planning to ensure lasting solutions that improve safety and living conditions, and allow families in the area to continue residing there.

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