"We Decide"
Advancing local leadership, civic participation, advocacy, and decision-making power with rural & Indigenous women.
Supporting Women to Shape Community Decisions
"We Decide" strengthens the leadership capacities of Indigenous and rural women to actively participate in decisions affecting their communities, families, and territories.
Through training and real world experience, programming fosters confidence, civic engagement, advocacy skills, and collective action to advance gender equity and community well-being.
The 6 Demands of Our Citizen Agenda
PSYDEH Program Objectives
1
Leadership development workshops
2
Civic participation & advocacy training
3
Community organizing & collective action
4
Regional networking & civic engagement opportunities
Why Civic Engagement Matters in Rural Mexico
For many rural and Indigenous communities, meaningful participation in local government has long been limited by geographic isolation, language barriers, discrimination, limited access to civic education, and a lack of opportunities to engage with public institutions. As a result, community priorities are often overlooked in local planning and public investment.
Civic engagement strengthens democracy by ensuring community members are active participants—not passive recipients—in local development. When communities understand their rights, organize collectively, and engage with public institutions, they are better equipped to influence policies, advocate for real local priorities, and foster more transparent and accountable governance.
PSYDEH Program Outcomes
Increased participation of women in decision-making spaces
✓ Leadership & Civic Participation
Expanded networks, opportunities for women & cooperativves
✓ Cooperative Autonomy & Economic Empowerment
Stronger community organizing & advocacy efforts
✓ Territorial Resilience & Regenerative Development
Two Decades of Civic Engagement
Since 2007, PSYDEH has strengthened Indigenous and rural women's civic leadership through community workshops, regional conferences, leadership schools, public forums, and collective agenda-setting processes that accompany women as leaders to identify local priorities and engage decision-makers.
This long-term foundation culminated in establishing "We Decide" as a flagship PSYDEH program in 2024, which has actively expanded civic education locally through electoral observer training, rights-based workshops, and the co-creation of our latest women-led Citizen Agenda.
Building on this trajectory, PSYDEH is now actively launching a community-led Citizens' Observatory to monitor municipal commitments, track progress on Citizen Agenda priorities, and strengthen evidence-based advocacy and government accountability in the Sierra Otomí-Tepehua.
Case Study: Hurricane Priscilla
When Hurricane Priscilla devastated the Sierra Otomí-Tepehua in late 2025, years of community organizing and civic leadership enabled a rapid, locally led response. Women leaders from PSYDEH and the Sierra Madre Network mobilized their neighbors to assess community needs, coordinate with municipal authorities and humanitarian partners, and ensure emergency aid reached the most affected families fast.
Between October and December 2025, this coordinated response reached 2,717 families (11,528 people) in the region, demonstrating that civic engagement is about more than elections—it builds the trusted relationships, leadership, and collective action needed for communities to advocate for their needs and respond effectively in times of crisis.
