Taking as her starting point the fact that in the late 1980s women not only made up a significant portion of rural population but were also increasingly taking part in agricultural production, while on the other hand continuously attracting little attention from researchers, the author focuses on the problems of rural life, young rural women and their social identity. Although women were important actors of change and development, it was unclear whether the developmental perspective deployed at the time addressed them at all, in what way it sought to include them, and whether they could actually be genuine subjects of this development. Several research methods are used, including semistructured interviews, observation and participant observation, in order to delve into the immediate life experiences of rural women and the meanings women ascribe to the emancipatory gains they achieved.