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The decade covered by this declaration is the dream of a rural woman from the South, Luz Haro Guga, born in Ecuador, who dedicated much of her life to the visibility, struggle and expression of women, especially those in rural environments in Latin America and the Caribbean. Luz left a ray of hope in Guatemala, and this focus group of diverse women leaders from Guatemala and El Salvador worked to keep that hope alive. During the discussion, we discovered that this space does not represent all women in rural areas; however, this is the first effort to articulate and outline the goals of ensuring a dignified life for all, especially women, girls and adolescents who live in rural areas their entire lives.
(frasepzp1)
According to data from Guatemala’s 12th National Census and the 7th Housing Census in 2018, women make up 51.5% of the population, and there are an estimated 3.5 million women, girls and adolescents living in rural areas. How many of them have access to decent health care? How many have adequate educational opportunities? How many have experienced or have experienced gender-based violence? More official data with a gender perspective is needed to better understand the reality of this population, so as to implement public policies that address women’s real problems. In addition to this data, it is also important to listen to the voices of these women.
In the conversations and exchanges during the first focus session, moving words emerged. Listening to colleagues verbally express their contributions, phrases and words such as “most importantly we are women,” “because together we can take stronger, bigger, more determined steps,” and “these spaces strengthen us and myself.” Each of these expressions reaffirmed how women have learned to weave collective efforts based on individual recognition.
As a closing strategy for the first focus session, each participant closed the activity with a sentence that conveyed what they had gained from this wonderful experience. Words such as hope, strength, commitment, persistence, struggle, perseverance, and light appeared.
I accompany them in their struggle out of courtesy, because I firmly believe that we all deserve to live a dignified life, which means respect for cultural diversity, care for resources, the right to live without violence and the right to decide about our bodies. And I remember that, without a doubt, together we can “take stronger, bigger and more determined steps”.
Personally, I cancelled my sorority.
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