Abstract

Through a historical review of the construction of the “urban habitat” in squatter land plots in Chile, this paper attempts to, firstly, highlight the relevance of these areas in the urbanization processes of present-day cities. The paper focuses on the role of women in the formation of agency within these urban spaces, focusing on informal settlements in Viña del Mar, Chile as a case study. The study uses diverse qualitative research and data collection methods. Results show that female leadership in these spaces has been able to go beyond the capitalist-patriarchal rationale. Additionallys, leadership has been able to develop a series of practices that have become particularly relevant for the establishment and development of these informal settlements. These practices can be highlighted through three dimensions or key milestones: 1) the self-led construction of the urban habi-tat; 2) leadership and political action strategies; 3) community care-work practices.