The Women's Department of the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR) participated in an important debate at the National School for the Training and Improvement of Magistrates (ENFAM), in Brasilia. The activity, held on August 22, brought together magistrates, researchers, lawyers, leaders and indigenous women to discuss the current challenges of access to justice, the rights of indigenous women and the need for a Justice System that is more prepared to understand the realities and specificities of indigenous peoples.
The General Tuxaua of the Indigenous Women's Movement of Roraima, Kelliane Wapichana, represented the indigenous women of the state at the meeting, which also marked the launch of the reports "Magistracy and Gender in the National Council of Justice (CNJ) - Between the Glass Ceiling and Institutional Transformation" and "Climate Justice, Gender and Indigenous Peoples".
The studies highlight issues that still need to be seriously addressed, including the underrepresentation of women in spaces of power and decision-making and the impacts of climate change on indigenous peoples, their territories and, in particular, on women's lives.
Among the research presented is "Indigenous Women, Climate Change and the Justice System: Challenges for access to Justice and the realization of rights", which brings together data, reflections and recommendations on the obstacles faced by indigenous women. For the leaders, the challenge now is to make this knowledge go beyond the pages of books and reach institutions, public policies and the spaces where decisions are made.
More than being heard, indigenous women demand effective participation in decision-making processes.
"We don't just want to be heard. We want to participate in decisions. We want to be where policies are built, where laws are interpreted and where the future of our territories is discussed", highlighted Tuxaua General of the Indigenous Women's Movement of Roraima, Kelliane Wapichana.
The climate crisis, according to indigenous women, is already part of the reality of the communities. The effects are felt in food security, access to water, production, preservation of traditional knowledge and the security of the communities themselves. Women, children, young people and all indigenous people are directly affected by the changes that occur in the territories.
In this context, the defense of indigenous rights also involves the protection of territories, traditional knowledge, ways of life, and future generations. For the leaders, it is essential that the Justice System is prepared to understand this relationship and consider the specificities of indigenous peoples in its decisions and policies.
According to Kelliane Wapichana, through the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR), indigenous women continue to strengthen partnerships and build networks with researchers, magistrates, lawyers and institutions that work in defense of this agenda. The contribution of Judge Adriana Melo, Judge Mírian Zampier, Andréa Brasil, lawyer Fernanda Felix and the coordinator of DGTAMC, Sineia do Vale, in addition to the participation of so many other women, demonstrates the importance of the union between different knowledge and experiences.
Roraima has also produced knowledge about its own territories and realities. And, in this process, indigenous women play a fundamental role: they are the ones who talk about their experiences, presenting their demands and participating in the construction of proposals for the future.
This participation was also present at the meeting "Ancestral Voices and Knowledge of Indigenous Women of Roraima towards COP30", held in the state, in August 2025. The meeting resulted in a final letter with the main demands presented by the women. The document is part of the book now released and reinforces the importance of considering these demands in the formulation of public policies and in discussions on climate justice.
The expectation is that the studies and documents presented will not remain only as records. The proposal is that they become instruments capable of influencing public policies, institutional practices and decisions of the Justice System.