Nearly 10 years have transpired since the conclusion of what the UN referred to as "the decade of the woman" (1975-1985). The world has lived and experienced great changes such as the end of communism in East Europe. Many Latin American and Caribbean countries which were repressed during the heavy economic crisis the famous lost decade (1980-1990) began adjustment policies and have been gradually resuming a rhythm of sustained economic growth. The South-East Asian nations, which precede the Region in regard to their economic development, are characterized, among other things, by having a sustained investment in education and training in their towns, a strategy which CEPAL also supports from the perspective of ''equal productive transformation."
In this world of accelerated and varied changes, what is happening to women? The patriarchal relationship standard between men and women that has marked the most cultures on the planet is being questioned and, in fact, has been mitigated in many regions. What is happening in Latin America and the Caribbean? Moreover, what is occurring in the lives of rural women in the Region?
As it was described years ago1, a society organized on patriarchal standards is characterized by a hierarchy division of roles and tasks for men and women. Men occupy and lead the public arena, or work and politics; women are engaged in the private world related to domestic life which is oppressed by masculine dominance. The deep roots of Latin America and the Caribbean are, without a doubt, patriarchal. However, in modern times, scientifically speaking, this confirmation is not novel nor does it bear any substantial contribution. The progression of this knowledge requires more complex visions, visions that are keen, precise and which demonstrate the feminine complexity in maintaining patriarchal order. Above all, these visions must identify changes and progress, eventual weaknesses or reinforcements of what Basil Bernstein denominates as the "classification'' between the sexes. Latin America and the Caribbean is patriarchal, although not as it was 50 years ago.
1 For example, please see, "Feminist frameworks"
Work and family life in rural areas of Latin America and the Caribbean are permeated with patriarchal standards; however, it has also suffered the influx of modernization such as technology and the media.
This work attempts to outline the situation of women living in rural areas of Latin America and the Caribbean; the progress they have achieved; and their still pending challenges. These studies were conducted with an awareness of the important forum to be held during the World Conference Regarding Women in Beijing '95 and the fact that it will constitute a milestone and new horizons for the people and institutions concerned with improving women's conditions as a whole.
The Region is vast and includes over 60 million rural women (1990). Furthermore, it bears quite a blend of cultures, ethnic groups, economic development levels and political conditions. Likewise, each country has its own heterogeneity. This work, for its general tenure, does not pretend to reflect precisely what is occurring in each country, nor could it thoroughly exhaust each of the subjects to be considered.
The main purpose of this document is to provide fundamental ideas in a global perspective which will lead to comparisons of what occurs in other regions throughout the world thereby serving as an instrument in orienting future research and the design of policies.
This is a study based on Regional bibliographic information available at international entities, such as research centers and documentation, therefore representing its strengths and limits. Vast amounts of information have been reviewed finally selecting the most homogenous and reliable sources. However, the true reality goes beyond this research. The vision contributed by the international bodies and research centers constitutes "one" perspective of reality, however meticulous and valid it may be. Many changes occur on a daily basis in rural sectors; such changes have not been researched and there is no available information in this regard.
This document attempts to respond to various questions. The first, which comprises the first chapter, is a question of context. It seems logical that before speaking of rural women, one must profile their varied walks of life and the Region's rural development. The life of a woman occurs in context and depends on it. For example, the incorporation of women into the work force at varying degrees cannot be explained by the prevailing cultural standards at any given moment, it must also consider the growth and unemployment levels in a specific economy.
The second question reflects an awareness of the diversity of the studied reality. Rural women are multifaceted: they are housewives, but they also work, whether on their own farm or not. These women are rich and poor, old and young, literate and illiterate, natives and indigenous, they speak all languages and dialects. To put it all together, "the rural woman" is an abstraction, a useful concept rather than a reality. Chapter Two aims to provide, backed by statistics, knowledge of their manifold variety and to unveil certain forms of "invisibility" which result from a patriarchal culture applied to women on the farms.
Chapter Three responds to questions concerning rural women's education and their access to formal education, training and technology. Formal education is frequently a requirement when seeking paid employment and being involved in decision-making processes in their community and country. Usually, it is considered as a necessary requirement although this does not suffice to advance the condition of women.
The Family is what many consider to be the natural locus for women. It is, without a doubt, a primary dimension in the life of the majority of women. In Chapter Four, through analyzing marriage, family types and fertility, an attempt is made to provide a panorama of some of the features and trends inherent in rural families today.
One main concern in the analysis of the gender perspective is the relationship between the access women have to power and the impact of the same in their own lives and society. Control and power exercised by men in light of the deep, patriarchal roots characterizing Latin America and the Caribbean have established barriers blocking feminine involvement in decision-making processes within different types of organizations linked with industrial and community affairs. Chapter Five responds concerns regarding the measure of how rural women have overcome barriers posed by masculine power, as well as their being involved in decision making concerning industrial and community activities.
The Law, by nature, applies to all citizens of a country. Legal discriminations affect all women, independent of the fact that they may be rural or urban. However, Chapter Six entails those legal provisions linked more specifically to women's lives on the farm. The Chapter also proposes some matters related to the institutions bearing an active concern for the progress of the feminine condition.
In Chapter Seven, reference is made to the environment and some milestones, partly generated by a patriarchal culture, regarding the role of rural women in environmental care.
To facilitate reading, each chapter includes its own tables, conclusions and recommendations. At the end of this document, general conclusions are presented as well as the bibliography.
