Public Policy on Rural Women - Panqueba, Boyacá - Colombia: The Process by María Teresa Blanco Ibáñez https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2 Dear reader, here I will show the process I did to support the formulation of the Public Policy on Rural Women in Panqueba. You will see a snapshot of what my internship was like: where I did it, what my main task was and the methods I used to accomplish it. en-us 2023-01-26 22:02:07 UTC 2026-03-11 01:19:53 UTC hello@padlet.com maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2458409592 Methods to collect the data that involved women's participation ]]> 2023-01-27 01:57:50 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2458409592 Semi - Structure interviews maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459157107 Interviews are of particular use if one desires to explain social processes, change, and meaning that are complex and need an understanding depth of peoples’ experiences (Mason 2018:114).

Based on the relevance of the interviews, I decided to use this method to gather the information. I performed the interviews with women from the Consejo Consultivo de Mujeres (Women's advisory council), who represented 12 different productive sectors of Panqueba. 

This set of interviews where focus on the needs and possible improvements in each sector, from these women's perspectives.  ]]> 2023-01-27 16:07:00 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459157107 Focus group maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459158745 A focus group is, ‘an informal discussion among selected individuals about specific topics’ (Beck et al., 1986, p. 73).  They are useful to promote interaction among participants with spontaneity. 

Taking into account the "informality" of this method, I used it to talk about all kinds of situations and problems faced by rural women in Panqueba. The conversations revolved around economic independence, health, double workload, emotional burden, political rights, and violence based on gender, among others.

A total of 7 focus groups were conducted, which covered 7 of the 9 rural areas in the municipality. ]]> 2023-01-27 16:08:21 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459158745 Pre-structured surveys maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459212641 I used pre-structured surveys as an additional tool to collect more data, specifically to address the point of view of the women who didn't participants in the focus groups or the semi-restructured interview.

According to Harrie Jansen (2010) "In the pre-structured survey, some main topics, dimensions, and categories are defined beforehand and the identification of these matters in the research units is guided by a structured protocol for questioning or observation" (5).

I constructed the surveys with the information obtained from the focus groups and interviews, describing the most frequent needs and problems faced by rural women. This was done with the objective to understand if these situations were also present in others women's life. ]]> 2023-01-27 16:49:13 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459212641 Some context of Panqueba, Boyacá - Colombia maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459356707 - It's a small town in the department of Boyacá (located in the northeast of Colombia).
 
 - Its population is around 1675 with a total of 832 men and 843 women. 

  •   Rural area:  487 men and 469 women
  •  Urban area: 345  men and 374 women
 
]]> 2023-01-27 18:53:05 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459356707 Why a Public Policy for Rural Women? maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459358623 The absence of an official document that addressed the specific needs of rural women made it imperative to formulate a Public Policy for Rural Women -almost half of the population in the rural areas- in this municipality. This public policy helps to understand the situations and particularities of these women's lives while at the same time addressing their needs and demands.]]> 2023-01-27 18:54:55 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459358623 The focus of this Public Policy maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459358908 The development of this public policy was done under the gender mainstreaming approach with the intention to have a document that promotes a structural change in gender matters, at least at the local level. In addition, community participation was adopted to obtain the data for this public policy, using the recommendations of this technique on the importance of women's participation in public policy processes.]]> 2023-01-27 18:55:13 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459358908 maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459387362 Main results of this joint work]]> 2023-01-27 19:22:14 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459387362 maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459388474 Based on the information provided, and using Conpes 4080 (The National Public Policy on Gender), I identified 5 thematic axes that address the main problems affecting rural women in Panqueba.

                           - Economic autonomy 
                           - Life free of violence
                           - Political participation
                           - Integral healthcare
                           - Culture and recreation 

Each of these thematic axes is accompanied by specific actions to meet the needs and demands of rural women, as well as indicators, expected results, and goals.  

]]> 2023-01-27 19:23:19 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459388474 maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459401318 How gender stereotypes affect women is one of the most frequent complaints. 

For example, they state that ideas about what a woman or a man should do create an imbalance in care and domestic tasks, where women have to take care of most of them. In addition, this imbalance leads to fewer opportunities for work outside the home and, therefore, less income and less economic independence. ]]> 2023-01-27 19:35:19 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459401318 maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459401876 Women mentioned that they feel left out by the State, and in this case by the municipality.

They demanded the solutions stated in every axe take into account their geographical location. This specific demand was made because they believe that there are projects and activities for women, but they are carried out in the urban area, which makes it difficult to access these opportunities.

]]> 2023-01-27 19:35:54 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2459401876 maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2461369916 Women are aware of their rights and the demands they can make on the State.

Especially those between 18 and 40 years old mentioned that their life has specific conditions because they are women, and therefore, their needs should be addressed with a gender approach. Their knowledge of what the State must provide and guarantee them because they are women was notorious. ]]> 2023-01-30 13:29:32 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2461369916 maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2461379701 Some cross-cutting results  ]]> 2023-01-30 13:36:25 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2461379701 maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2461502786 2023-01-30 14:40:16 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2461502786 maite0420 https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2461784733 2023-01-30 17:21:41 UTC https://padlet.com/maite0420/2dj7ryou7i5t21y2/wish/2461784733