The "Canary Rural Women" conference, held in El Hierro, featured interventions from several women actively engaged in professional activities within the rural sector of the island. These events are part of the commemoration of the International Day of Rural Women.
During the event held in the municipality of Valverde, the Minister of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Childhood, and Families of the Government of the Canary Islands, Candelaria Delgado Toledo, advocated for a "vibrant rural environment" that includes "women with rights, economic autonomy, decision-making capacity, and public services to support their life projects".
The minister emphasized the importance of learning from the experiences of the participants: Mónica Ojeda (beekeeper), Cristina Mendoza (gofio Imendi), Blanca Dorta (viticulturist), Almudena Pérez (Quesos y mantequilla de queso Tejeguate), Mency Quintero (shared ownership), and Vanesa Díaz (shepherdess). Delgado Toledo called for the "shared responsibility of administrations, companies, and all of society so that sustaining the rural world... does not fall exclusively on women".
For his part, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food Sovereignty, Narvay Quintero Castañeda, stated that "women have sustained the rural world throughout history" and that "the rural world is incomprehensible without women; the future of the rural world will not exist without women".
The director of the Canarian Institute for Equality (ICI), Ana Padrón Brito, highlighted "the inequalities faced by women living in rural areas" and the need to guarantee them equal opportunities, emphasizing that "their experiences deserve to be heard" and that "they keep our territory alive".
The activities continue this Friday, October 16th, at 6:00 PM, at the San Andrés Cultural Center, with the screening of the documentary “Ellas cuentan” by Soraya Domínguez Suárez, followed by a discussion. On Saturday, October 17th, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM in Plaza de Santiago in Valverde, artisanal product workshops will be held, led by artisan Mónica Ojeda, open to children and families.
