Perspectives and challenges of Indigenous women leaders of Ecuador in their political representation

Overview

This article employs a decolonial feminist epistemology to analyse the challenges and opportunities faced by Indigenous women leaders within the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE). The study focuses on their political participation, perspectives on feminism, advocacy for gender policies, and the role of religion in relation to gender roles and women’s political participation. The study is based on 11 semi-structured interviews conducted in two phases (2022 and 2025) with Indigenous women leaders from various nationalities, which were analysed through a reflexive thematic analysis. The research examines how patriarchal structures, both within CONAIE and at the state level, limit the substantive political representation of Indigenous women. It also explores the influence of religious discourses and community norms on gender hierarchies. The study also explores Indigenous women’s perceptions of feminism, particularly their critique of ‘white feminism’, which they perceive as disconnected from their realities and forms of collective organisation. The findings demonstrate that despite a significant proportion of the interviewees not self-identifying as feminists, they are actively engaged in the struggle for gender justice within their own communities. Their resistance strategies encompass the promotion of collective rights, as well as women’s rights, and the pursuit of enhanced participation in decision-making spaces. Nevertheless, their presence frequently remains symbolic, with actual power remaining concentrated in male leadership. The study also highlights the ambivalent relationship between religion and gender in Indigenous communities: while religion can provide spiritual strength and political legitimacy, it also reinforces traditional gender roles and restricts women’s leadership. This study makes a significant contribution to academic debates on feminist democracy by examining the political representation of Indigenous women and offering a feminist critique of Indigenous movements. It also proposes a situated and culturally rooted reading of the struggle for gender justice.