My Land: Rural Women's Struggle

Nov 14, 2022 | Carlos Parra
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As the strains of a typical Colombian vallenato play in the background, Yimis Severiche Montes holds up the title deed from the National Land Agency that proves she is the owner of the land on which she has built her life and livelihood. She can’t stop smiling as she talks about it: never in her 56 years did Yimis think that she would never live to see this moment.

Yimis is a strong woman with a contagious laugh. She is a community leader, the mother of four children and a farmer from the village of Sincelejito in El Guamo municipality, Bolívar department, Colombia. Her work as a leader began many years ago. She has been campaigning for improvements to the living conditions of rural women in her municipality ever since.