ELAS+ believes that, in order to have an effective democratic experience, it is necessary to guarantee gender justice, economic autonomy, the strengthening of activism and the political participation of cis and trans women and other transidentities in Brazil’s various regions.
Brazil is experiencing a scenario in which women's movements have been the protagonists in tackling economic, political, climatic and social emergencies. These groups face urgent local and global challenges, such as gender-based violence, social inequality, racism and the impacts of climate change. Strengthening their work is an alternative to paving ways with broad, diverse, multiple and plural citizen participation.
ELAS+ believes that women are indispensable agents of change and transformation to guarantee political participation and committed to expanding rights in Brazil's different territories. This is why it is strengthening activism through its Building Movements Call for Proposals.
Paving collective ways through alliances between women's movements has proved to be fundamental in building a collective future with social, gender and climate justice.
For the fourth consecutive year, ELAS+, as part of the Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action (GAGGA), will support grassroots organizations led by women (cis and trans) who work for environmental and climate justice in different regions of Brazil.
Launched in 2016, GAGGA is an alliance that brings together the collective power of movements for women's rights, gender justice, environmental and climate justice in more than 40 countries in the Global South.
Since its first calls for proposals, ELAS+ has supported groups and organizations led by women who work to defend their territories and communities and who fight for a world in which women's rights to water, food security and a clean, healthy and safe environment are recognized and respected.
For ELAS+, there is no climate and environmental justice without gender justice.
Women are a fundamental part of protecting the environment, biomes and traditional knowledge. They are among the most affected and, at the same time, they are the ones leading solutions to face the climate emergency.
This initiative therefore seeks to support women in their responses to the challenges brought about by the worsening of environmental racism and the threats and violations of indigenous and traditional peoples' territories in recent years, as well as the increase in extreme weather events and environmental disasters.