What the study found
The study found that women-led movements in Quito, Ecuador used a mix of cultural, scientific, political, and legal strategies to address severe river contamination. The authors describe these efforts as aiming to protect rivers as living entities under the Rights of Nature paradigm.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that restoring rivers requires integrating culture, science, political advocacy, and law. They also suggest that recognizing rivers as living entities is part of breaking the polluter/victim cycle.
What the researchers tested
The paper draws on data from the RIOS25 workshop, which was designed to extract and systematize the narratives and strategies of activists seeking legal personhood for highly polluted rivers. Participatory methods included personal storytelling, visual timelines, strategy mapping, and collective visioning with women leaders from four civil society organizations: Women for Water, River Spirit, San Pedro River Collective, and the Ravines Collective.
What worked and what didn't
Participants emphasized personal connection, memory, resistance, and hope. The abstract reports different approaches across groups: River Spirit used photography and symbolic weaving; the San Pedro Collective used social media, art, and local ordinances; Women for Water pursued constitutional reforms and litigation; and the Ravines Collective focused on education and legal action to turn victims into activists.
What to keep in mind
The summary provided here is limited to the abstract, so detailed evidence, outcomes, and comparisons are not available. The abstract does not describe measured effectiveness for each strategy or note specific study limitations.
Key points
- Women-led movements in Quito combined cultural, scientific, and legal strategies to respond to river contamination.
- The study focused on activists seeking legal personhood for polluted rivers under the Rights of Nature paradigm.
- Four civil society organizations took part: Women for Water, River Spirit, San Pedro River Collective, and the Ravines Collective.
- Reported strategies included photography, symbolic weaving, social media, art, local ordinances, constitutional reform, litigation, and education.
- The authors conclude that river restoration requires integrating culture, science, political advocacy, and law.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Women-led movements linked river protection with culture, science, and law
- Authors:
- Andrés Martínez Moscoso, Mildred E. Warner
- Institutions:
- Center for Global Development, Cornell University, Universidad San Francisco de Quito
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-09
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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