Lucía Vijil Saybe
Advisor on Environmental and Ecological Justice, Study Center for Democracy
she, her, hers
“Leadership means challenging the status quo, even when it’s uncomfortable.”
Lucía Vijil Saybe is a researcher, advocate, and activist focused on environmental and ecological justice in Honduras and Latin America. Her research focuses on topics including extractivism, sustainability models, and the rights of nature. Her activism centers on supporting Indigenous populations, grassroots organizations, and land defenders, with a special focus on women-led groups.
Lucía is committed to addressing the roots of inequality, particularly when related to extractivism, land distribution, and its impact on excluded communities. She has performed many roles at the Study Center for Democracy, a think tank dedicated to environmental and social justice issues. She started there as a community manager and is currently the thematic coordinator of the Environmental and Ecological Justice Group. The Center is also part of the managing group of the Honduran Network for Escazú, a coalition of civil society organizations, social, and environmental movements that monitors the Honduran government’s adhesion to the Escazú Agreement, which guarantees the rights of access to information, citizen participation in environmental issues, and environmental justice.
Lucia believes that the fight for environmental justice must be led by the people and communities who are most affected by climate change and pollution. She advocates that if we can find a way to help these underrepresented communities protect the land and natural resources, we can create a more balanced and sustainable global ecosystem that provides for everyone.