This June marks the first anniversary of the Les Elegides Commitment Declaration, an initiative promoted by Fons Mallorquí de Cooperació with the aim of fostering female leadership in local politics and building an international space for women representatives working from a municipalist perspective towards a more just and equal society.
The Les Elegides Commitment Declaration was officially presented in Palma on June 17, 2024, and over the past months has steadily gained support. As of today, it has been endorsed by 61 elected women from various municipalities and institutions across Mallorca.
Among the signatories are councillors, mayors, and local representatives from diverse political backgrounds and areas, all united in their commitment to the declaration's four guiding principles: promoting women's participation in politics under better conditions; fostering equal opportunities and female leadership; weaving support networks and alliances among elected women; and making women’s leadership more visible and recognized.
The declaration also takes on a clear political dimension, as it aligns with Target 5.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which promotes the full and effective participation of women in all levels of public decision-making. From the municipal level, these women are working to bring this global target to life through concrete local actions, driven by a spirit of transformation and collective commitment.
The celebration of this first anniversary also coincides with the third year of the Les Elegides project, which since its inception has established itself as a space for training, exchange, and cooperation among elected women from around the world. Since 2022, the project has carried out impactful initiatives: the First International Gathering of Elected Women, which brought together 80 women from eight countries; training workshops focused on applying gender perspective to local public policies; and technical assistance to municipalities in the Global South for the development of gender-sensitive budgeting.
At the same time, the project was awarded the second PLATFORMA prize as a transformative cooperation initiative that contributes to strengthening local democracy. It has also helped reinforce local and international networks of female leadership, with targeted initiatives in Peru and Bolivia.
With this consolidated track record, Fons Mallorquí de Cooperació has already begun preparations for the Second International Gathering of Elected Women, which will take place on November 6 and 7 at the Teatre Principal in Palma. This will be another opportunity to bring together women representatives from around the world, share best practices, spark meaningful dialogue, and continue strengthening a common agenda that places gender equality at the heart of local and global political action.