Movement of People Affected by Dams
The Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB) is a grassroots organization made up of social activists without distinction as to skin color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, political party or level of education. MAB is defined as a national, autonomous and mass movement, with regional links, present in 19 Brazilian states (RS, SC, PR, SP, MT, MG, BA, PE, PB, CE, PI, GO, TO, MA, PA, RJ, ES, AP and RO). It is an organization with collective participation and protagonism at all levels.
For more than 30 years, the movement has been working in defense of the rights of those affected, in defense of water and energy, for Brazilian sovereignty and for the construction of a popular project for the nation. Its main objective is to organize those affected by dams (before, during or after the construction of the projects), acting in defence of the interests of the populations affected by the system of generation, distribution and sale of electricity.
Autoria: Laura Asbeg.[1][2][3]
History
The International Day of Struggles Against Dams, For Rivers, For Water and For Life has been celebrated since 1997, when Brazil hosted the 1st International Meeting of People Affected by Dams. But the date also marks the day when MAB was officially born in 1991.
The Movement of People Affected by Dams has a long history of resistance, struggles and achievements. The MAB was created in the early 1990s, through experiences of local and regional organization of the people affected, as a response to the long period of violence and violations suffered by these populations since the 1970s, when they faced threats and aggressions suffered in the implementation of hydroelectric projects, when the military dictatorship intensified the construction of dams in Brazil. It later became a national organization and today, in addition to fighting for the rights of those affected, it is demanding a People's Energy Project to change all the unjust structures of this society at their root.
Main banners
- fighting for the rights of those affected by dams;
- propose the formulation of a water and energy policy that serves the interests of the people and not the profits of private companies.
MAB's network
Member of La Via Campesina, the Workers' and Peasants' Platform for Water and Energy, and the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAR), among others.
National Policy on the Rights of Affected Populations
At the end of 2023, President Lula sanctioned the National Policy on the Rights of People Affected by Dams (PNAB), a major achievement for people affected by dams - hydroelectric, mining or otherwise - in Brazil. Among other advances, the legislation is important for unifying the rights of communities across the country by defining the concept of impact, establishing duties for the companies causing the damage, setting out guidelines for reparation and structuring tools for popular participation throughout the process.[4]
Who are the People Affected by Dams (PAB)?
The PNAB defines the affected population as all those who experience one or more of the following impacts caused by the construction, operation, decommissioning or collapse of dams:
- Loss of ownership or possession of property;
- The devaluation of real estate due to its location near or downstream of these structures;
- Loss of the productive capacity of land and natural elements of the landscape that generate income, directly or indirectly, and of the remaining part of partially affected property, which affects the income, livelihood or way of life of populations;
- Loss of product or areas for fishing or natural resource management; Prolonged interruption or alteration of water quality that harms supply; Loss of sources of income and work;
- Change in the habits of populations, as well as loss or reduction of their economic activities and subjection to negative social, cultural and psychological effects due to removal or evacuation in emergency situations;
- Alteration in the way of life of indigenous populations and traditional communities Interruption of access to urban areas and rural communities; other possible impacts, indicated at the discretion of the licensing environmental body.
MAB in numbers
More than 4 million people have been affected by the construction and collapse of dams in Brazil over the last 80 years. This figure was published in the study “Health, water, energy, environment and work: weaving knowledge to promote sustainable and healthy territories”, carried out by the Osvaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), in partnership with the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)[5].
Find out more: https://mab.org.br/
See also
Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Teto (MTST)
Movimento Sem Teto do Centro (MSTC)
Notas e referências
- ↑ Mapa Colaborativo dos Movimentos Sociais em Saúde.
- ↑ CORBO, Anamaria; ROSSATO, Alexania; NESPOLI, Grasiele. Educação popular, direitos e participação social: bordando a saúde das mulheres atingidas por barragens. Rio de Janeiro: EPSJV, 2020.
- ↑ Dias, Alexandre Pessoa et al. Pedagogia das águas em movimento: experiência de educação popular em saúde ambiental na região metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro.
- ↑ BASTOS, Camila. Conheça a Política Nacional de Direitos das Populações Atingidas por Barragens (PNAB). Instituto Guaicuy.
- ↑ Fiocruz. Resumo Executivo do Projeto “Saúde, água, energia, ambiente e trabalho: tecendo saberes na promoção de territórios sustentáveis e saudáveis”.
