On June 19 in the town of Larrabetzu, in Euskal Herria (the Basque Country), an international group of peasant women gathered with local social movements — including elders, youth, feminist organizations, migrant women working in domestic and care roles, and local farmers — to exchange perspectives on the economic, political, and social challenges they face within Basque society. The conversation was facilitated by the peasant women from the union, EHNE Bizkaia.
Care and life with dignity, at the center of struggles
The pensioners’ collective highlighted that their fight for fair pensions has been marked by a consistent effort to shed light on the significant contributions made by past generations to society—contributions that are not currently reflected in the economic recognition needed to ensure their well-being.
Meanwhile, youth representatives from the Hernai collective shared their concern about the future, expressing that it’s hard to envision a dignified life for their generation without a strong commitment to local autonomy and reduced reliance on external production.
The feminist movement, represented by the Denon Bizitzak Erdigunean (“Everyone’s Lives at the Center”) platform, emphasized the crucial role women play in sustaining life in all its forms — from care-giving to community support. They pointed out that this work, essential to the well-being of society, is rarely acknowledged in public spaces. As such, they called for greater visibility for both this labor and the women who carry it out.
Migrant women, many of whom work in domestic and care-giving roles, spoke about the significant inequalities they face within Basque society. They highlighted the lack of equal rights and the systemic barriers to regularizing their immigration status. Current laws, they noted, often fail to acknowledge even their most basic labor rights — including vacation time, overtime pay, and fair working hours. This legal and social exclusion leaves them in a vulnerable position, effectively relegating them to low-wage work as a result of structural racism. Many of these women had been involved in land stewardship and food production before migrating.
The Keys to Popular Peasant Feminism committed to Food Sovereignty
The rural women delegates at the event emphasized the importance of placing women at the heart of community decision-making. They underscored that any effort to build a future rooted in Food Sovereignty must recognize rural women as key actors. This is not simply about access to land, water, and other shared resources as tools for production, but about caring for these commons in a way that sustains life and community.
“Multinational corporations and agribusiness are not going to feed the people or restore the care systems within our communities — we, as rural women, have proven that we can nourish our families, our communities, and our villages,” they affirmed, asserting that they too deserve care and recognition.
Their words come in the context of a global system that shapes local realities through policies and structures that justify violence and genocide suppress dissent, and criminalize those who defend their right to a dignified life in many parts of the world.
The delegation also highlighted the major challenge of putting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP) into practice across their respective territories. They see the declaration as a vital tool in the fight to secure and protect their rights — particularly at a time when an agroecological transition is urgently needed to address global crises such as food contamination, environmental pollution, the privatization of shared resources, and the ongoing exploitation of Mother Earth.
A Common Future Based on Food Sovereignty
The collective reflection at the event concluded that grassroots feminism represent a powerful commitment to building a future where a dignified life is possible for all. The feminist movements are vital spaces of resistance, creating connection and solidarity among diverse social movements.
While not always explicitly stated in each group’s demands, the participants acknowledged that the fight for Food Sovereignty is essential to securing a dignified life rooted in local autonomy. They also concluded that it is crucial to recognize the economic, political, and social contributions of peasants — not only in growing food, but also in preserving seeds and safeguarding traditional knowledge that sustains communities.
The event concluded with a powerful act of solidarity: a public demonstration in the town square denouncing the genocide in Gaza and the ongoing violence against the Palestinian people. The gathering honored those who continue to fight for Palestinian autonomy and paid tribute to the courageous efforts of thousands of activists — including peasant members of La Via Campesina — who recently mobilized through the Soumoud Caravan and the Global March to Gaza.
This post is also available in Español.