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Comunicándonos, El Salvador
In El Salvador, women leaders, indigenous communities, and grassroots organizations are forging new pathways for civic participation through the project “Promoting and Protecting Civic Space as a Strategy for Resilience and Climate Justice in Central America.” This regional initiative—funded by the Honduras Sustainable Development Network (RDS-HN) with support from Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC–CRDI)—advances climate justice through a community-led, intercultural approach with a strong emphasis on women’s leadership.
“The project’s main goal is to strengthen Indigenous and Afro-descendant leadership—especially women’s—build regional alliances, and influence public policies that protect the environment, ensure safe civic space, and improve community resilience in Central America,” explains Verónica Moreno, the project administrator in El Salvador.
In recent months, Fundación Comunicándonos, alongside partner organizations, has facilitated training processes, consultations, and dialogues to strengthen women’s capacities in their role as climate and territory defenders. These spaces have provided tools for policy advocacy, greater understanding of environmental legal frameworks, and the development of leadership that drives change within their communities.
As part of the process, gatherings were held among indigenous communities and environmental defenders from Sonsonate and Ahuachapán, prompting deep reflection on concepts such as civic space and climate justice—reinterpreted through each territory’s realities and challenges.
Participants emphasized the urgency of protecting their lands from threats such as water overexploitation and extractive projects. They also underscored that civic space is not limited to formal rights—it is the real ability to organize, speak out, and defend community life without fear of retaliation.
In a second phase, more than 20 leaders developed their own definitions of civic space and climate justice, linking these concepts to territorial defense, gender equality, and the recognition of ancestral rights. For them, climate justice means fair distribution of natural resources and the active participation of communities in decisions that shape their future.
In addition, Fundación Comunicándonos has advanced community consultations to identify local climate and territorial priorities—strengthening civic participation and generating key inputs for more inclusive environmental public policies aligned with local needs.This project stands out as a strategic effort to advance real climate justice in El Salvador and across the region. By recognizing, listening to, and amplifying community voices—especially women’s—this work is shaping a more inclusive, place-based, and sustainable climate agenda, capable of responding to today’s challenges and planting the seeds for a fairer, more resilient future for all communities.