: Indigenous women’s work to preserve traditional knowledge celebrated on International Day #IndiaNEWS #International UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for amplifying the voices of

Indigenous women’s work to preserve traditional knowledge celebrated on International Day #IndiaNEWS #International
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for amplifying the voices of Indigenous women, which is critical to achieving a just future for all people.

His appeal comes in a message to mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, observed annually on 9 August.
This year the focus is on the role indigenous women have in preserving and passing on traditional knowledge.
Cultural champions
“Indigenous women are knowledge keepers of traditional food systems and medicines. They are champions of Indigenous languages and cultures. They defend the environment and Indigenous peoples’ human rights,�? said Mr. Guterres.
“To build an equitable and sustainable future that leaves no one behind, we must amplify the voices of Indigenous women�?.
Indigenous traditional knowledge can offer solutions to many common global challenges, said the UN chief, recalling his recent visit to Suriname, where he learned how communities are protecting the rainforest and its rich biodiversity.
Mr. Guterres urged countries to implement the landmark UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and to promote Indigenous traditional knowledge for the benefit of all.

WFP/Nelson Pacheco
Agronomist Deborah Suc, a member of the Poqomchi community, works for the World Food Programme (WFP) in Guatemala.

‘We are the same’
In connection with the International Day, the World Food Programme (WFP) has been highlighting the contributions of some of its staff who are from indigenous communities.
Deborah Suc, an agronomist in Guatemala, is the first woman from the Poqomchi ethnic group to graduate from university.
Ms. Suc works as a WFP field technician in the San Cristóbal municipality, which is located in Alta Verapaz department in north central Guatemala.
She supports the implementation of resilience activities in Poqomchi and Qeqchi indigenous communities towards reducing poverty and hunger. Her job involves hosting workshops, leading meetings, or visiting families in their homes.
“When the women see me driving the car and I get out dressed in my suit, they are surprised and say, ‘We knew you spoke Poqomchí, but we didnt know you were one of us. ’ I tell them that we are the same and that we can all do different things�?.
The way Ms. Suc is treated in San Cristóbal is light years away from her experience at university, where some people would make crude jokes at her expense.
Pride and prejudice
Unfortunately, the discrimination did not end when she received her masters degree.