Women responding to emergencies

As we reach the halfway point in the implementation of the Women’s Rebuilding Guerrero program, we have decided to conduct a mid-term evaluation to analyze the progress and impact of the strategy. With this, we sought to understand whether this approach to emergencies is effective, whether it generates transformations in the communities, and whether it has the potential to be replicated in other contexts. In addition, in February 2025, the First Face-to-Face Meeting of the program was held, which was thought to be a space in which activists could share experiences, strengthen networks, and collectively reflect on the lessons learned and challenges of the process.

This meeting provided us with valuable lessons and reflections to continue advancing; for example, the organizations emphasized that their participation in emergency response and reconstruction is not only an assistance task, but a strategic action that strengthens the social fabric and generates structural changes. Likewise, they positioned the importance of care as an articulating axis of community response, including the care of territory and bodies, practices that have historically been ignored and underestimated.

Regarding the information obtained through the application of the evaluation, it suggests significant progress in the recovery of livelihoods, the strengthening of the social fabric, and community development in the affected communities. Likewise, the organizations report progress and signs that point to positive transformations in the communities as a result of the work they have promoted.

These include:

•  A stronger sense of community, expressed in a more solid cooperation, mutually supportive relationships, and collective decision-making processes.
•  The formation of support networks, through strategic alliances that have favored solidarity and empathy among affected people.
•  A more active and self-managed community participation, where people are increasingly involved in identifying and addressing problems.
• The promotion of social and solidarity economies through the implementation of projects that promote collaborative economic models.
• Strengthening access to the rights of women, girls, and adolescents through the establishment of community kitchens, food distribution, and the promotion of reproductive justice.

In the months ahead, we will continue reporting on the progress of these organizations and closely monitor the start of hurricane season in Mexico, which consistently poses significant risks for coastal areas, particularly Guerrero, one of the regions most exposed to emergencies caused by flooding, storms, and high winds.