La Rioja's Women's Political Summit brought together leaders from across the province and national figures to discuss leadership, access to power and political violence. Organized by the Women and Diversity Secretariat, it aimed to build a common agenda rather than remain symbolic.
Secretary Karen Navarro was central in presenting the summit as a tool for organizing demands and strengthening leadership. She emphasized that women should not only participate in campaigns but also reach positions where budgets, candidacies and policies are decided.
Governor Ricardo Quintela linked the event to Peronist reorganization and a national alternative. That broadened the summit's political scope but also raised a tension: women's participation can grow inside a party project while still being subordinated to electoral strategy.
Panels covered leadership, political violence, social media, access to power and coalition-building, with participants from different political and professional backgrounds.
Political violence was a key topic, including not only explicit attacks but also delegitimization, digital harassment, gendered campaigns and informal barriers to leadership.
Navarro also defended continuity in gender policies. Measuring that commitment requires data on women in executive, legislative and party roles and on violence-prevention programs.
Access to power also requires resources: time, networks, funding and organization. Gender quotas correct part of the imbalance but do not guarantee real influence.
The next step is turning the summit into a follow-up agenda. Navarro can give it continuity through proposals, targets and recurring spaces open to different political identities.
