In 2002, the Law on Rural Women in Colombia was enacted as a result of demands from peasant, indigenous and Afro-Colombian women due to their recognition as self-employed subjects and their inclusion in the processes of designing and implementing the country’s rural development policies. After 16 years, the Colombian state has been unable not only to comply with the provisions of the law, but also to address gender inequalities that affect rural women in particular. The explanation I propose is that, although there is a concern to incorporate gender issues into the public rural development agenda, the approach that has prevailed so far is that of positive action that limits discussions on the systems and processes that produce and reproduce gender inequalities.