This thesis aims to identify and analyse the empowerment processes of civil participation in collective actions behind the social movement =Conga No Va‘; as well as to contribute to the understanding of mining extraction causality upon social structures and gender relations in rural communities. The main focus is the social movement opposed to the mega mining project =Conga‘ in the Andean region of Cajamarca, Peru. Taking in account sustainable and alternative development theories as well as social movement theories; the social movement and its proposals are analysed together with indigenous people rights and emergence of agency awareness of rural communities affected by extractive projects.