Women in Security and Defense in Latin America and the Caribbean

Who are we?

We are a network of women working on security and defense issues in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The network was created to promote the work of women in these areas, as well as to facilitate their visibility and promote discussion spaces in the region.

Together we are more powerful. This is the reason why we believe that creating a network in an area from which we have been historically excluded is critical. We are an independent, nonpartisan network of women working in a variety of sectors, including research, teaching, public policy and prevention, journalism, non-governmental organizations, national and local governments, as well as international organizations and academia, among other sectors. The Amassuru network focuses on security from a broad perspective, including citizen security, human security, international security and justice.

Support Amassuru

The word 'Amassuru' comes from the Tupi language and refers to 'The Amazon Women'. These are the strong and brave women found by the Spanish when they arrived to Latin America and the Caribbean. According to some historians, the word Amazon derives from Tupi Amassuru, which wants to say "resounding waters".

What do we want to achieve?

Our main objective is to provide visibility and to promote women’s work in an area historically dominated by men. We believe that working within a network is crucial to enhance each other’s qualities as well as paving the way for and creating new opportunities for a younger generation of women.

Our idea is to establish a space for discussion and knowledge creation in different areas related to security. The work that we are currently developing will make itself visible through the network, and we also wish to create instances in which we can participate collectively. We consider that women experience security risks and conflicts in a differentiated manner. This implies that we can make contributions to the way in which public policy is addressed to promote security and solve conflicts in the region. It is for this reason that we consider the creation of a network to be of vital importance to identify the working areas and the spaces where the active participation of women is required.

With this objective, we find it necessary to:

Generate a network through the creation of a directory of women experts in security in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Make visible the work and the initiatives of women in the area of security in the region.
Incorporate women’s voices in all discussion spaces related to security, which have been historically dominated by men.
Enhance the individual capacities of network participants.
Create new synergies and collective efforts, including the establishment of alliances with other organizations, media outlets and academic institutions.

Where are we going?

Once established, we will work to create discussion spaces within the network, including forums and publication, among other initiatives.

In the medium and long term, the objective is to substantiate a gender perspective towards the issues of crime, violence and conflict resolution. We pursue this objective not only because of the particular way that we experience crime, violence and conflict, but also based on our tools to address them. We will be able to define those tools and apply them at the local, national and in international conflicts as well.

Principles

Independence: This organization nonpartisan.
Gender perspective: Women experience violence and insecurity different from men. For this reason, a gender perspective is necessary in the analysis and solutions to security problems.
Solidarity and teamwork: Working as part of a network is the central element for individual and collective development and growth.
Transparency: Amassuru’s work objectives will remain those stated in this document. Therefore, we will never use any collected data for other means, either commercial or academic.
Financing: Amassuru will not charge participants for membership. Financial resources will be obtained through crowdfunding and grants obtained from other institutions.

Data privacy policy

As owner of your own personal data, you have the right to obtain, update and rectify this information any time, as well as revoke your authorization for the processing of personal data, or request the elimination of your personal data.

Founding Members

Katherine Aguirre Tobón: Colombian economist with a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the Graduate Institute International and Development Studies of Geneva (Switzerland). She is a senior researcher at Igarapé Institute (Brazil). In Colombia she has worked for the Conflict Analysis Resource Center (CERAC) and in the Ideas for Peace Foundation, and in Switzerland she was part of Small Arms Survey (SAS). Katherine is interested in violence prevention, post conflict and peace treaties, and drug policy research, as well as research methodologies.

Julia Arcieri Ciucci: Argentine lawyer specialized in Criminal Law from the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina) with a Diploma in Human Rights from the Universidad Austral (Chile) and postgraduate courses in Human Rights from FLACSO (Argentina). With experience in leadership positions as Team Coordinator, Project Design and Management, Planning and Execution of Strategic Alliances with focus on projects that promote social justice and gender equity.

Nidia Beltrán Forero: Colombian economist with a Master’s degree in Economic Science from the National University of Colombia. Her professional experience includes working for the private sector and non-governmental organizations in Bogotá, Colombia; the national government of Argentina; and international organizations, such as the OAS. She has worked for crime prevention programs, evaluation of public security policies, analysis and management of crime statistics information systems. Nidia is interested in the production, use and analysis of data for the design of evidence-based policies, as well as the development of proposals and of state capacities in public policies for crime prevention.

Carolina Duque: Colombian lawyer, Master in Law from the Universidad de los Andes. She has carried out consultancies and research on drugs, security and justice in several Latin American countries for international organizations such as the European Union, World Bank, UNODC, Global Initiative, research centers and national and local institutions. Professor of Geopolitics of drugs in the Master's program in Cultures and Drugs at the University of Caldas. Associate researcher of the IFARMA Organization. Producer and host of the radio program Debajo del Puente of the WG Violencias, políticas de seguridad y resistencias of the Latin American Council of Social Sciences CLACSO. Carolina is interested in contributing to overcoming social inequality.

Alessandra Jungs de Almeida: Brazilian Bachelor in International Relations (UFSM), with a period of training at the University of Santiago de Chile (USACH). She has a Master in International Relations from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), a period that she was also a visiting researcher at the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation (KAICT) at the University of Liberia (UL). In the International Security field, she is interested in the dynamics of resistance, adaptation, and hybridization resulting from local-national-international interaction in security practices between the Global South, especially South America and West Africa.

Carolina Sampó: Argentine political scientist, with a PhD in Social Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Argentina. She also has a Master’s degree in International Studies form the University Torcuato Di Tella. She is a researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) and the International Relations Institute (IRI) of the National University of La Plata (UNLP). She works as an associate professor at the University of Buenos Aires and as coordinator of UNLP’s IRI Center for the Study of Transnational Organized Crime (CeCOT) and member of the Red de Politólogas. Carolina is interested in crime and violence in Latin America. She has published books and academic articles on violent non-state actors, violence, and organized crime.

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