WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT IN AQUILES SERDÁN, MÉXICO: THE EXPERIENCE OF CENESO

Abstract

This article describes an innovative experience of social action at the local level, whose purpose was to strengthen grassroots women's capacity to lead sustainable development. This experience revolves around the creation of a Business Centre of Solidarity-based Economy for Grassroots Women (CENESO, acronym in Spanish) in the Municipality of Aquiles Serdán, Chihuahua in Mexico. The creation of this Centre responded to the need to empower women in community-based production processes and provide them with mechanisms and tools that empower them and give them options to increase their income. This mechanism seeks to contribute to poverty reduction, improve the quality of life of women, their families and their communities.

The constitution of the Centre was accompanied by practices of inclusive urban development that sought to reduce the risk factors of social violence and violence against women, through detecting problems of insecurity, increasing crime prevention, and using innovative methodologies for building safer cities.

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