Local leadership for a global future: rural women as catalysts of sustainability and peace

^{The MUCAMPAZ team and the Peacebuilding Fund Secretariat conducted a technical mission to Yuscarán, El Paraíso. During the visit, progress in the implementation zones was observed, highlighting the integration of climate action and the participation of rural women as fundamental tools for peacebuilding. Photo: PBF Secretariat, Darwin Andino (2025).} 

Rising temperatures, scarce rainfall, and pressure on natural resources not only degrades ecosystems but also sparks community conflicts, food insecurity, and social tensions. Faced with a climate crisis that threatens stability and livelihoods in Honduras, Assigned Forest Areas (AFA) have emerged as a strategic model for sustainable management and territorial peace. These areas strengthen local governance, promote shared responsibility in managing common goods, and establish mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution. 

Rural women play a fundamental role in these community organizations; however, their involvement is limited by persistent structural barriers. Issues such as unequal access to land, discriminatory cultural patterns, and the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work hinder their effective participation. Across the 234 agroforestry cooperatives managing AFAs in Honduras, only 23% of leadership positions are held by women, highlighting the gap between formal recognition and effective participation. 

^{The visit highlighted how women are strengthening community protection against natural disasters, safeguarding their livelihoods and families, and addressing the root causes of conflict through resilience and leadership. Photo: PBF Secretariat, Darwin Andino (2025).} 

With the support of UN Women, FAO, and the community organization Ayuda en Acción—and with funding from the United Nations Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) and the Government of Honduras—the project Climate-Resilient Women: Forest Areas for Climate Security and Peacebuilding (MUCAMPAZ) equips rural women with the tools to lead territorial protection efforts and bolster peace. 

The project has demonstrated that it is possible to integrate environmental protection with a gender-responsive approach and peaceful governance. Through MUCAMPAZ, agroforestry cooperatives managing AFAs are strengthened, and a responsible, sustainable relationship with the land is promoted. By enhancing women’s capacities and their participation in decision-making, the project addresses the core of communal resource management, conflict prevention, and the consolidation of territories that exist in harmony with both communities and nature. 

^{Project representatives held a strategic meeting with the municipal authorities of Yuscarán. During the meeting, the local government reaffirmed its commitment to the initiative, pledging to consolidate a culture of peace and sustainable development within the municipality. Photo: PBF Secretariat, Darwin Andino (2025).} 

“Before, I participated very little, and our voices were hardly ever heard,” says Silvia Azucena, a MUCAMPAZ beneficiary. “Through the training sessions, I now understand my role better; I can speak up and help resolve problems within the cooperative. That has changed the way we work, and we are more respected now.” 

“The project helped us organize ourselves better and prevent conflicts over the use of water and the forest,” explains Lesbia Rosalí, a community leader. She adds: “Now we know that taking care of nature also means taking care of peace and our families' future.” 

The results are visible: stronger cooperatives with increased women's participation on boards of directors and in gender, youth, and education committees, alongside communities better prepared to face droughts, fires, and other climate impacts. Incorporating a gender-responsive approach into environmental management has proven to be an effective strategy for increasing resilience and social cohesion. 

The leadership of rural women is a cornerstone of climate security and territorial peace. Their participation builds more resilient, cohesive communities.