Background and context

The National Rural Network (RRN) is focusing its Action Plan these months on the issue of women, through a series of activities designed to respond to the needs identified through interviews with local stakeholders, a survey of rural women, and two meetings of the "Rural Women 2022" Thematic Group, held on May 17 and 18, 2022, with the aim of identifying their main problems and needs.

Based on these identified needs, as well as information gathered from other RRN activities and workshops, the following topics of great interest were considered for discussion at this LEADER experience-sharing workshop on rural women:

• Bioeconomy and sustainability
• Conciliation, co-responsibility and gender perspective
• Social economy with a gender perspective

Furthermore, these issues are considered cross-cutting factors that directly influence the viability of sustaining life in rural areas.

Objectives of the exchange

• Learn about the experiences of women-led projects, both LEADER projects and other inspiring experiences, related to work-life balance and co-responsibility, gender perspective, social economy, and sustainability.
• Reflect on the opportunities that new social, economic, and environmental scenarios present for rural development, and the crucial role of rural women in these new scenarios.
• Identify actions to be developed in rural areas that combine the advancement of women, the socioeconomic progress of populations, and environmental sustainability.

Target audience

Local action groups (technical, management, and associate staff), public administrations, social, cultural, and economic action entities, and anyone interested in the role of women as drivers of rural development.

You can access the recording of the session at this link