The Role of Women in Solidarity Actions in the Rocinha Slum, Rio de Janeiro in Times of Pandemic

Abstract

This article seeks to explore the leadership role of women in solidarity actions within NGOs and collective groups in Favela da Rocinha during the Covid-19 pandemic. The basic assumption is that women always had a fundamental role in the production of the favela space, whether in the domestic or in the collective spheres, or even in active political activism backstage in neighborhood associations, NGOs and collectives. Characters forgotten in the history of the favela, women acted not only in the daily struggles in daycare centers or health centers, but also in preserving the community's memory. Currently, they continue to play an important role in the struggles and resistance to violence, risks and social vulnerability, specifically in the fight against forced evictions. We can observe at this moment the performance of women in the solidarity networks that have developed in various communities and collective groups during the pandemic. Our article is structured in 4 sections. Firstly, we approach the historical context of Rocinha and of women’s performance in different collective spaces and forums. Next, we will give a brief history of the main problems faced by women in the daily life of the favela, such as violence and the risk of forced evictions. Then, we will talk about the performance of women's social and collective movements in Rocinha today to finally work on specific actions in solidarity networks during the pandemic.