From September 23 to 27, the 6th Latin American and Caribbean Meeting of Rural Women took place in Alta Gracía, Argentina. The event brought together nearly 200 representatives from various countries in the region who are part of the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Rural Women – RedLAC. 

Exchange of experiences and strengthening of common agendas

It was a few days of sharing experiences to strengthen bonds for a more just society, with gender equity and sustainable development. "We met with women from 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including partners from Chaco, the Semi-Arid region of Brazil, and Ecuador, among other areas. All the agendas we work on at Fundación Avina are also part of their agendas, which makes this meeting even more enriching for us," said Telma Rocha, program director at Fundación Avina, who attended the meeting. 

Regional diversity and international organizations

In addition to representatives from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina, representatives from international organizations such as CIM-OEA, UNDP, FAO, CAF, among others, also participated. This diversity enriched the debates and strengthened unity within the geographic and cultural diversity of the different communities. 

History of the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Rural Women

RedLAC is an international organization founded in 1990 in San Bernardo, Argentina, which for 35 years has been a space for rural women, field workers, land producers, and guardians of nature and life. The network was created by a historic partner of Avina, Vanete Almeida, and today continues to be strengthened by important allies of the foundation, such as Luz Haro from Ecuador, current executive secretary of the network.