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Nicaragua - Law
Creates Fund for Credit to Rural Women for Land Purchase
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Grassroots women
leaders from Cooperative of Women's Rural Producers Las Brumas, member of the
Huairou Commission and GROOTS International, celebrate with much joy one of
their many victories on their work to empower women in their country.
The National
Assembly of Nicaragua created a special fund to provide credit to rural women
for land purchase. The announcement was joyfully received and now much more
work is going to be carried out to make sure this law is implemented.
According to the chair of the Assembly, the bill, approved by a large
majority vote, aims to create a fund that is fed by national resources,
international grants and loans.
Haydee Rodriguez, President of Cooperative Las Brumas said: "We are very
happy for the approval of the law. Women have celebrated, but now we must
continue our organizing and monitor the process to make sure the approved law
will be implemented. I would like to say that all women are part of this
process; not only women here in Nicaragua. We have all achieved this
victory."
"There is evidence that women, as heads of family in the countryside,
are the ones taking the responsibility to secure the family property, well
managed resources, not sell them, care for and multiply," says the
President of Parlament, René Núñez Téllez.
The fund, "to purchase land with gender equity, will provide mechanisms
for rural women to access credit. Banco Produzcamos will manage the fund and
rural women will be able to buy 3.4 hectares of land for agricultural
production and improve conditions for families," said Nunez.
The capital for the project will set up national funds provided by the
Executive of Nicaragua, but may be increased through donations and loans from
international organizations interested in strengthening the initiative in the
framework of poverty reduction.
The fund will be administered in addition to the Bank, by a board with the
participation of representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and
Forestry, the Nicaraguan Institute of Women, and the Coordinator of Rural
Women.
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