This article discusses different views about sustainable development, emphasizing - on the basis of a survey conducted in Brazil, Mexico, and Cuba - the role of rural women in food production and natural resource management, the strength of the rural women's movement in the conquest of rights, and the decisive participation of women in defining proposals for public policies that guarantee gender equality in rural areas. A brief comparative analysis leads us to conclude that the development model in the three countries still prioritizes the male figure in relation to land tenure, access to credit and purchase of equipment or other material resources. It is suggested that both in Cuba, a socialist country, and in Mexico and Brazil, capitalist countries, the assumptions of social policies directed to rural female workers should take into account the basic needs of rural women to guarantee a more humane and sustainable development
Gender and Environment; Sustainable Development; Social Policies; Basic Needs