Under the banner of International Women's Day , more than 50 indigenous women gathered to hold a dialogue with the Costa Rica President, Laura Chinchilla, and discuss their participation in the development of a country strategy to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD +) .

The meeting was held at the Central American Institute of Social Studies inSan José, Costa Rica, with the participation of women representatives from 20

territories.

The activity was presided by Mrs. Laura Chinchilla and Mr. René Castro, Minister of Environment. This event aimed at promoting a mechanism of empowerment for an effective participation of indigenous women in the development of the REDD+ Strategy, led by the National Forestry Financing Fund (FONAFIFO). REDD+ aims to develop a set of policies and programs to address the causes of deforestation/ forest degradation, promote green social and economic development, promote conservation and the sustainable management of natural resources and increase carbon stocks. Costa Rica has already been conducting these activities for more than 16 years through the National forestry Financing Fund (Fonafifo), through the Program of Payment for Environmental Services (PES), which is implemented as an tool of national policy to protect and recover forest cover .

According to Fonafifo, during the past four years the coverage of the Program of Payment for Environmental Services (PES) in indigenous territories increased by 15,013 hectares, involving a total of 45,799 hectares between 2010 to 2013 and committing about U.S.$24,000,000 in ten-year contracts.