Mulheres rurais e o protagonismo no desenvolvimento rural: um estudo no município de Vitorino, Paraná

Rural women have been gaining ground in the debates and formulations of public policies, as well as their recognition for the strengthening of family farming and sustainable rural development. In this sense, this article aims to understand the perception of the role and representativeness of rural women in the municipality of Vitorino, Parana state. The methodology adopted for the data collection was qualitative, through twenty-two semi-structured interviews with the family farmers of the municipality, together with the support of a bibliographic review on the subject. According to the results, the existence of the exodus of young women to the urban centers can be verified, consequently causing the phenomenon of the aging of the female population in the countryside. Concerning the division of labor, it can be seen that the existing conceptions are still masculinized in what concerns the division and hierarchy of the feminine work in the property. In this sense, although there is an incentive and change in the society regarding the achievements of women, it is still possible to find spaces where there is still the separation of roles by gender. Thus, it becomes very important to rethink means and alternatives to ensure effective participation in property management, as well as to encourage courses and technical assistance so they can meet the needs of rural women, because only then will we have full rural development.