Promoting women's rights in family farming
problem & solution
San Pedro Puxtla, a municipality in the department of Ahuachapán, has a high rate of human poverty, child malnutrition, food insecurity, limited resources, and vulnerability of children's and women's rights. Gender inequality and the indiscriminate use of pesticides in agriculture are two other factors that have a strong impact on community development; there is also a high percentage of single mothers in the communities.
The solution was to develop methodologies and tools that facilitate the development of sustained women's and children's rights as well as values for a life of health, dignity and solidarity.
the experience
Female community leaders organised groups of girls and boys in community demonstration gardens, where they were trained in organic agriculture with climate change resilient and environmentally friendly practices and methodologies. At the same time they promoted children's and women's rights, leadership, entrepreneurship, and gender equality.
The direct participants were 51 girls and 38 boys, 31 adolescents, 30 women and 20 men.
Challenges
- Food insecurity and malnutrition
- Limited resources
- Vulnerability of children's and women's rights
Impact
- Women and children learn to produce their own food and replicate what they have learned in their homes where mothers establish a family garden, which contributes to their food security and generates an economic income
- Significant progress in the knowledge of the laws for the comprehensive protection of children, adolescents, youth and women. The mothers replicate it in different social circles.
Lessons Learned
- It is not only about food production, environmentally friendly practices, entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, it is also about sense-making, mental health and wellbeing
- It is necessary in community development processes to have a multidisciplinary facilitating team
