Modelo de Gestión Pública Local con Enfoque de Género para el Fortalecimiento de la Participación Femenina en Aguadas, Caldas: una Propuesta Basada en Aprendizajes Territoriales y Referentes Internacionales desde México

Abstract

This research proposes the design of a local public management model with a gender perspective for the municipality of Aguadas, Caldas, aimed at strengthening women’s political and community participation and improving institutional capacity to incorporate gender equity into public decision-making. The study begins with a territorial diagnosis that identifies structural, institutional, and sociocultural barriers limiting women’s participation, such as the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work, low representation in decision-making spaces, limited use of gender-sensitive indicators, weak inter-institutional coordination, and persistent traditional gender norms. Drawing on methodological references analyzed during an academic mobility program in Mexico—including Gender Equality Units, digital participation platforms, and indicator systems—the model is structured around four core tools: a Virtual Citizen Participation Platform, a Women’s Leadership School, a Local Gender Observatory, and a Community Sensitization Program. The measurement indicators include: percentage of women in decision-making bodies, number of training processes conducted, levels of digital participation, amount of systematized gender-related data, and degree of institutional adoption of the gender perspective. Expected results include increased women’s participation in community and municipal spaces, strengthened institutional capacities, expanded access to public information, and improved digital literacy among women from both rural and urban areas. The expected impact is the consolidation of a replicable local public management model that promotes territorial equity, reduces gender gaps, and contributes to strengthening local democracy.