Silenced Voices: Rural Women in Lourinhã (19th–20th Century) and Contributions to Inclusive and Sustainable Public Policies

This research examines the condition of women in Lourinhã, Portugal, during the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on their daily experiences, social roles, and structural barriers within rural communities. Using parish records, legal documents, local newspapers, private correspondence, and oral testimonies, the study reconstructs survival strategies, forms of resistance, and community participation that shaped rural women’s lives.
While grounded in social history, this project has direct relevance for contemporary challenges, particularly in informing inclusive public policies and sustainable rural development strategies.
By documenting historical patterns of exclusion and gender inequality, the research highlights how marginalization of specific groups affected social and environmental management, offering crucial insights for evidence-based policies promoting inclusion and sustainability.
The connection to the EU Green Deal is twofold to Research & Innovation. The study generates new and applicable knowledge on the role of women in social cohesion, territorial management, and sustainable historical practices. These insights can inform current sustainable development strategies, from biodiversity preservation to rural community revitalization, bridging past and present in innovative ways. It also connect with Preserving Biodiversity. The rural communities under study maintained traditional land use, family farming, and natural resource management practices that reflect sustainable interactions with local ecosystems. Understanding these historical practices and women’s roles in maintaining natural resources provides lessons for contemporary biodiversity policies, supporting a green transition that integrates social and gender dimensions.