Lucía Vijil Saybe

Advisor on Environmental and Ecological Justice, The Center of Study for Democracy (CESPAD)

“In Honduras, defending land means challenging centuries of inequality. The Center of Study for Democracy (CESPAD) is a citizen initiative and Ford grantee that shares critical knowledge in order to promote democracy and climate justice in Honduras. We research socioenvironmental conflicts and generate evidence that serves Indigenous and small-scale agricultural communities, particularly women defending their territories. My greatest motivation with this work and my Ford Global Fellowship emerges from questioning the historical inequality to access land, a legacy marked by land plundering, violence, and the concentration of power in a few hands.

Two years ago, we founded the Observatory of Socio-Territorial Conflict that today supports advocates in 58 socioenvironmental conflicts related to mining, monocropping, energy, and land plundering. Our work consists of mapping and documenting cases and providing communities with tools so that they can negotiate fairer conditions with companies and authorities. Through this, we help transform local voices into a collective force that favors social and environmental justice. 

We recently celebrated a victory in the city of Puerto Cortés: After 20 years of causing environmental devastation and violating community rights, a mining company was stopped from renewing its permit, thanks to the community’s organizing efforts and the support provided by the Observatory. These victories remind us that justice is indeed possible, and we must embrace hope.”

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