The recognition of the Mosquito River as a subject of rights was a process marked by massive popular participation in northern Minas Gerais. To guarantee the health of the tributary, the "Everyone for the Mosquito River" Campaign resulted in a... state bill and in the approval of three municipal laws in the cities of Serranopolis of Minas Gerais, porter e New Gate, which cut across the river.
In this semi-arid region of Minas Gerais, the fight for the Mosquito River demonstrates its regional importance. During periods of drought, its waters contribute to the supply of up to ten municipalities in the region, which depend on the river to cope with the dry months.
This initiative is part of a movement that seeks to recognize elements of nature as subjects of rights, attributing specific legal protection to ecosystems considered essential for life. Among the rights foreseen for the river are: maintaining its natural flow in sufficient quantity to guarantee the health of the ecosystem; nourishing and being nourished by the riparian forest and surrounding forests and by endemic biodiversity; existing with its physical and chemical conditions adequate to its ecological balance; and interrelating with human beings through biocultural identification, its spiritual, traditional, and leisure practices, artisanal fishing, agroecology, culture, and Community-Based Tourism.
But the proposal to recognize the mosquito as a living element, which should be respected and treated equally to the citizens who live there, did not originate in political offices or civil society organizations. The call came from riverside communities in the face of extreme flooding, mainly in Porteirinha between 2021 and 2022, which affected a significant portion of the urban population.
“The expectation was to discuss escape routes for flood situations. But the population's response was different: we don't want to flee the river, we want to take care of the river's health so we can continue living on its banks,” recalls José Marcos Oliveira Flores, known as “Zé Marcos,” representative of the Rural Workers' Union (STR) of Porteirinha, regarding the mobilization to address the events with the population.
It was from this process of listening and popular mobilization that the proposal to recognize the Mosquito River as a subject of rights emerged, transforming the relationship between communities and public authorities with the river. The Mosquito basin suffers from siltation, degradation of riparian forests, sand extraction, and the discharge of domestic sewage in various sections.
“'Rio Mosquito, subject of rights,' was a wake-up call for the local population that the river is alive and deserves respect, just like the citizens. The proposal is to place the river on an equal footing with human beings,” explains Zé Marcos.
For those who live along the banks of the Mosquito River, defending their rights is also linked to memory and the possibility of once again fully enjoying its waters. Ailton Nunes da Silva, a riverside dweller from the Curral de Varas region in Porteirinha, has witnessed the river's transformations for decades.
“I remember my childhood. We would go to the river, our mothers would wash clothes and dishes, we would bathe and even bring water to drink. It was completely clean water. But, unfortunately, human intervention has brought problems to the river's health,” says Ailton.
According to him, environmental degradation and flooding episodes reinforced the need for community mobilization. Today, Ailton states that the recovery efforts are already beginning to yield results and renewing the residents' expectations.
“There came a time when we had even given up on this fight. Today, what we have is hope. We are already seeing some improvements and we know that, with the work that is being done, with the laws that have been created and the support received, the river will improve much more,” he emphasizes.
Campaign: Everyone for the Mosquito River
The initiative for the river's health gained momentum with the "Everyone for the Mosquito River" Campaign, built through collaboration between social organizations, community associations, unions, riverside communities, and public authorities. In 2024, this network was strengthened with the approval of a project by the Rural Workers' Union (STR) of Porteirinha in... notice 37* from the Ecos/ISPN Fund, aimed at supporting network-based initiatives.
The support made it possible to expand social mobilization, political advocacy, environmental education, and the recovery of the river basin. It also contributed to consolidating collective spaces for participation, which later gave rise to the Guardian Committees of the Mosquito River, responsible for monitoring and defending the river's rights in the municipalities of the basin.
Beyond the laws
It is estimated that more than 32 people will benefit directly or indirectly from the actions of the Ecos Fund project, across the three municipalities participating in the campaign. The impacts are on water security, as a significant portion of the population receives water captured and treated by the Mosquito dam, but are also related to the reduction of flood and inundation risks.
With support from the Ecos Fund, communities in the Mosquito River basin have developed environmental recovery actions, such as the construction of small dams, the cleaning and desilting of sections of the river, as well as the protection and recovery of riparian forest areas. There has already been a reduction of more than 80% in the risk of flooding in areas of Porteirinha.
More positive results are being seen by local communities, increasing participation in the campaign. During the major floods of February 2026, fewer negative impacts were recorded in Porteirinha, despite the event having a similar volume of water to previous years.
Another outcome considered strategic for the continuity of actions is the creation of Municipal Funds linked to the river. These resources are managed by the Guardian Committees of the municipalities and allocated to recovery and conservation initiatives, ensuring conditions for the work of the communities in the coming years.
For farmer Maria Aparecida de Jesus Batista, a resident of the Gangorra community in Porteirinha and a member of the Mosquito River Guardian Committee, the results of the actions can already be seen by those who live along the riverbanks. She compares the basin's recovery process to a collective healing.
“When we saw the river in the state it was in and see it today, it’s a great joy. What was taken out of the river is like performing surgery on a person: it removes the disease and they are reborn,” he says.
Maria also highlights the importance of involving new generations in the environmental recovery process. "I think we are planting hope for those who are coming. If it weren't for this work, the river could die. Today, we see that it is surviving," she adds.
And the story of the Mosquito River continues with the approval of another project in the Ecos Fund. notice 45 This year, the campaign aims to expand its scope and actions. This new phase will reach a new river: the Sítio Novo, a tributary of the Mosquito River, expanding the campaign to the municipality of Riacho dos Machados with the goal of caring for the river's health.
ISPN environmental scientist and socio-environmental analyst Matheus Costa is monitoring the project's implementation and emphasizes that all mobilization to guarantee the rights of nature, as seen in the case of the Mosquito River, is only possible through the commitment of society.
“The recognition of the Mosquito River as a subject of rights demonstrates that social mobilization can generate concrete transformations for territories. When communities take the lead in environmental conservation, the results go beyond the protection of a river and begin to benefit the whole of society,” concludes the analyst.
*The 37th Ecos Fund Call for Proposals was launched in 2024 and allocated resources to support nine networked projects focused on sustainable rural development and the conservation of the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes. These projects are within the context of the Seventh Operational Phase of the Small Grants Programme in Brazil (SGP), supported by resources from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).