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Applying WEF Nexus and Slow Violence Analyses to the Study of Women and Resource Use in the Magdalena River Watershed, Colombia, South America

IWRA World Water Congress 2025 Marrakech Morocco
Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus - WEFE NEXUS
Author(s): Stephanie Buechler, Sandra Barrera Galvis, Magnolia Longo
Stephanie Buechler, Penn State University, USA
Sandra Barrera Galvis, UTADEO, Colombia
Magnolia Longo, UTADEO, Colombia

Oral: PDF

AbstractWomen and WEF nexus challenges in Magdalena watershed, Colombia
WEF nexus-Slow ViolenceGender Frames
Why is slow violence important in this study?
Study area and Methodologies
Water: is an essential resource for human life and well-being
Water Concessions and Violence Energy Access-Slow Violence
Combatting Slow Violence in WEF Nexus

Conclusions

• WEF nexus helps reveal integral connections to show magnitude of challenges women face and how they gain access to these resources to produce food and reproduce lives.
• Slow violence: toxic pollution from agribusiness and inadequate government water and energy infrastructure. Lack land access,  associations can help women access land and government assistance in areas with patriarchal cultural systems.
• Women and children: more exposed to contaminated water due to domestic activities.
• Leaders in study areas, particularly Prado Sevilla, should explore new agricultural economies using WEF nexus lower water use crops; stress
and slow violence lenses [e.g. replace banana cultivation with organic production].
• Efficient, subsidized irrigation systems and additional high value, drought-resistant, lowwater consuming crops may assist farmers;  women farmers-inclusion in training.
• Women’s linked water-energy needs must be prioritized. With climate change, energy sector's regulatory bodies must ensure quality, affordable energy service from diversified energy sources such as subsidized solar energy systems.