To mark the International Day of Rural Women, Jesús Ángel Garrido Martínez, Director General for Funds and Relations with the European Union, Government of La Rioja led a plenary debate on EU Local matters highlighting the vital role of women in rural communities and calling for stronger European support to empower them.
In his intervention, Garrido Martínez recalled “One year ago, in my region, a pact for the equality of women in rural areas was signed. In the framework of the celebration of the International Day of Rural Women, the Government of La Rioja, through its Ministry for Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Areas and Environment, adopted the ‘Pact for Equality of Women in the Rural Areas of La Rioja’. Its goal was precisely to increase their visibility and support all the initiatives they carry out in the fields of agriculture, livestock farming, and rural tourism.”
The pact is a document that commits all current signatories – municipalities, entities, associations, and others – and all those who join it in the future to jointly achieve a series of goals that help recognize, make visible, and promote their contribution to the productive and social economy of our municipalities, with the aim of eliminating the existing gender gap in rural areas.
Garrido Martínez emphasised that this commitment must now be strengthened at European level: “Today we are here, in the heart of the institutions of the European Union, and we are also asking for stronger support so that women can carry out and strengthen ongoing initiatives and, ultimately, have their work recognised. Because we are certain that investing in women in rural areas — in rural women — is, without a doubt, investing in our future.”
The debate marked a renewed call for action to ensure that women in rural communities receive the visibility, recognition, and opportunities they deserve – essential steps to ensure vibrant, sustainable, and inclusive rural development across Europe.