Photos: Sergio Betancort
The Government of the Canary Islands and the seven island councils this Friday in Lanzarote vindicated the "undeniable role of women in activities and professions linked to the sea and lamented the lack of recognition of their contributions to the development of maritime and fishing communities." This was highlighted during the inauguration of the commemorative event for the International Day of Rural Women, which was held in Arrecife with the central theme 'Women and the Sea'.
After the inauguration, a screening of videos was held in which seven women recounted their experiences and work as a fishmonger, shellfish gatherer, salt collector, public representative or as head of a fishermen's association. Subsequently, Lanzarote native Manuela Rodríguez Marrero, who has dedicated her entire life to work related to fishing, was honored.
Daughter of fishermen, the honoree was born in La Tiñosa in 1933. "The eldest of ten brothers and sisters, Manuela soon had to leave school to go fishing with her father, the only means of subsistence the family had," explains the Government of the Canary Islands. After marrying a professional fisherman, Manuela continued to go out to sea in search of sustenance for her new family. "We used to get up at two or three in the morning to clean the fish and put it out to dry," Manuela recalled. Most of the women were dedicated to this task, although few, like her, went out to fish.
During the day, an exhibition of photographs of women from the seven islands who are dedicated to work and activities related to the sea was also presented.
Recognition of a "decisive work"
The International Day of Rural Women is celebrated every October 15 to recognize the decisive work of rural women in promoting agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty. This year, the Canary Islands Institute for Equality, an agency of the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Equality, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Water of the Government of the Canary Islands, and the seven island councils have collaborated in the organization of the events with which they want to highlight the contribution of women in rural areas and promote gender equality.
The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Water of the Government of the Canary Islands, Narvay Quintero; the Deputy Minister of Public Administrations and Transparency of the Canary Islands Executive, Manuela Armas; the President of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Pedro San Ginés, and the Mayor of Arrecife, Eva de Anta, honored and publicly recognized all rural women, in the different areas, as protagonists of the activity, culture and stability of the rural environment.
Narvay Quintero stressed that "there is still much to be done to make women in rural areas visible," and said that the "Government is taking steps in a transversal way and in collaboration with the Canary Islands Institute for Equality to advance the role of rural women." He recalled that the Canary Islands already has a register of shared ownership, and explained that in all calls for aid, women have a higher score and amount. "Now, all administrations have to make it known and make it effective. We have to start from the bottom, from the education of our boys and girls without forgetting the awareness of men," said Quintero, who stressed that "the future of the rural environment depends on that recognition of the work of women, who are also much more entrepreneurial."
"A long way to go" still for "full equality"
During the event, held in the Plenary Hall of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Manuela Armas indicated that despite the fact that over the years "progress has been made, there is still a long way to go to achieve full equality between women and men," and stressed the "full commitment" of the Canary Islands Executive to achieve real equality, also in rural areas.
"But in addition to the commitment of the institutions, the complicity of the whole society is essential to promote gender equality in rural areas," said Armas. For his part, the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote welcomed all the delegations from the other islands of the archipelago gathered in Lanzarote for the institutional event and thanked the Government of the Canary Islands for its willingness to choose this island as the setting for the tribute to women linked to the sea.
"It is important that the autonomous Executive brings to the entire Canary archipelago a commemoration in which our mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers and a generation that found in the sea and in the countryside their main resource and heritage are reflected," he added.
The mayor of Arrecife said that the International Day of Rural Women is very special because "it symbolizes the history of what we are." "It symbolizes the work that, for generations, our great-grandmothers and grandmothers carried out, strong and courageous women who with their work in the fields have written the history of what we are today and who have been able to transmit to us their work and respect for the countryside; because they have been and are, the trunk and the link of union of the society in which we live."
De Anta said that rural women run family businesses and agricultural holdings, so "we consider this recognition of rural women to be of vital importance. With them, their entrepreneurial character is evident, setting up cooperatives, societies and new forms of self-employment."
The director of the Canary Islands Institute for Equality expressed her gratitude to all rural women because, she stressed, "thanks to them we are what we all are."
