Recognition and appropriation of rights among Mayanwomen in the context of a solidarity economy: the case ofthe Solares Collective on the peninsula of Yucatán, Mexico

Abstract

In Latin America, the solidarity economy is proposed as an alternative to prevailing
development models, articulating productive practices with cooperation, self-management, and
sustainability. In the Yucatán Peninsula, Mayan women play a fundamental role in the family
economy and in the transmission of cultural knowledge, generating collective processes that
transcend the economic. This study analyzes the experience of the Solares collective organization,
established in Sotuta in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, as a self-employment strategy
through the recovery of backyard gardens for self-consumption and the marketing of
agrochemical-free agricultural products. The research was conducted with a qualitative
approach, combining seven months of participant observation and four in-depth interviews with
the founders, complemented by narrative analysis using ATLAS.ti 25. The results indicate that
participation in Solares fosters subjectivation processes, where women redefine their personal
time, access leisure and self-care, and build mutual support networks. At the same time, forms of
appropriation and recognition of rights emerge: participants exercise collective deliberation,
manage their own resources, and expand their economic and social autonomy, challenging
traditional gender norms.