The Government of Mexico holds conference on agrarian justice for rural and indigenous women

The Government of Mexico holds conference on agrarian justice for rural and indigenous women

• The event brought together women from ejidos and communities of various states to develop policies ensuring their agrarian rights, autonomy, and equitable land access.
• Over 15,000 intestate succession cases benefiting women were processed across all 32 states from 2021 to 2024
• Approximately 7,000 gender-inclusive internal regulations and communal statutes have been approved in assemblies over the past six years

The National Women's Institute (INMUJERES), in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), held the "Agrarian Justice for Rural and Indigenous Women" Conference yesterday, aiming to reduce inequality gaps in the agrarian sector.

The conference brought together women from ejidos (communal farmland) and communities to develop policies and actions that guarantee their agrarian rights, promote development and autonomy, and ensure fair access to land tenure.

The conference was led by INMUJERES President Nadine Gasman Zylbermann; Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of the Foreign Ministry, Joel Hernández García; and UNFPA National Program Officer for Gender and Human Rights, Dosia Calderón Maydon.

In her remarks, INMUJERES President Gasman highlighted the vital role of rural and indigenous women in their communities. "These women are guardians of biodiversity, stewards of natural resources, defenders of their territories, and pillars of their households," she said. "However, they face numerous inequalities that limit their life choices and decision-making power."

"The idea is to bring justice to all women, ensuring they have ownership rights, can participate in agrarian decision-making forums, and access social and financial programs under the same conditions as men," she emphasized.

Undersecretary Hernández stressed the conference's significance within Mexico's feminist foreign policy framework. He noted its alignment with international obligations and commitments such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and the Escazú Agreement. He underscored the crucial role of rural and indigenous women in preserving our traditions, ancestral knowledge, and natural resources.

UNFPA National Officer Dosia Calderón called for empowering rural women, who constitute one-third of the global population and 43% of the agricultural workforce. She urged accelerating efforts to close the gender gap in access to natural resources and land rights.

María del Carmen Horta Gabriel, President of the Communal Property Commission of Santa Cruz de las Flores, Jalisco, emphasized, "Women's presence in rural areas is vital for community development. It is essential to achieve true gender parity and visibility for women's contributions in both rural and urban contexts."

The conference was attended by women from Campeche, Coahuila, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Durango, Nayarit, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Yucatán, Zacatecas, Mexico City, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, State of Mexico, Michoacán, Morelos, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, and Tlaxcala. It featured a panel discussion on "Women's Participation in Agrarian Governance and Access to Agrarian Rights," moderated Anabel López Sánchez, Director General for the Promotion of a Life Free of Violence and the Advancement of Political Participation. Four working groups addressed key topics, including challenges in accessing agrarian rights; the diverse experiences of rural women; challenges for women's participation in agrarian governance; and recommendations for institutions.

Since 2021, INMUJERES has collaborated with the Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial, and Urban Development (SEDATU), the Agrarian Attorney's Office (PA), and the National Agrarian Registry (RAN) on a comprehensive strategy to enhance rural and indigenous women's access to land, territory, and recognition of their agrarian rights. Key parts of the strategy include itinerant justice sessions for rural and indigenous women and updating communal regulations and statutes.

From 2021 to 2024, over 15,000 intestate succession cases benefiting women were processed through itinerant justice sessions held in all 32 states. These actions have strengthened women's legal security and autonomy by ensuring proper documentation and land access for thousands.