Indigenous Women Leaders Strengthen Their Collective Voice at National Gathering in Costa Rica
From June 13 to 15, 2025, CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) hosted the National Meeting of Indigenous Women Leaders at its campus in Turrialba, Costa Rica. The event brought together 22 women from the eight Indigenous Peoples of the country — including territories such as Alto Pacuare, Quitirrisí, Matambú, Sixaola, Boruca, Térraba, and others — to strengthen the National Indigenous Women’s Alliance and define joint priorities for the 2025–2026 period.
Building a Unified Vision
Over three days, participants engaged in participatory sessions focused on co-creating a shared vision for the Alliance, identifying strategic areas for action, and beginning the design of the Alliance’s visual identity. Cultural and intergenerational dialogue played a key role in building bonds of trust, recognition, and empowerment among women leaders from diverse regions.
““We leave committed to contributing ideas, creating space and recognizing our strengths. We want to build together, protecting the rights of Indigenous women and children”
Research and Collaboration for Inclusive Higher Education
The gathering also served as a space to validate the preliminary findings of a regional research project titled “Towards the Inclusion of Indigenous Peoples, Especially Women, in Higher Education Institutions in Central America”. The study, conducted in Guatemala, Belize and Costa Rica, is supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and CIESAS, and coordinated in Costa Rica by CATIE.
The research addresses the barriers Indigenous students face in accessing, remaining in, or completing higher education, using an intersectional and gender-sensitive lens to identify key differences across territories.
Leadership Rooted in Culture and Community
CATIE students and interns played a crucial role in documenting and facilitating the event, while institutional partners such as the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and Paz y Desarrollo contributed to the collaborative agenda.
“This experience fills me with peace and energy. I’m grateful for this space full of women leaders with deep ancestral knowledge ”
Looking Ahead
The meeting concluded with the definition of concrete commitments and next steps, including preparations for the 3rd National Meeting of Indigenous Women, which will take place on September 5, 2025, at CATIE, in honor of the International Day of Indigenous Women.
At The Tropics Foundation, we are proud to support initiatives that empower Indigenous women, foster intercultural dialogue and promote inclusive, community-led development.
Written by: Karla Madrigal Pereira
Office of Communication and Marketing
📧 karla.madrigal@catie.ac.cr
Edited by: Estefanie Ramírez Brenes
For more information about the Indigenous Peoples of Costa Rica, you may contact:
Karina Poveda Coto
Unit for Women, Rural Youth and Indigenous Communities
📧 karina.poveda@catie.ac.cr