International Day of Rural Women

This week, UN Women marks three  International observances that reflect women's key role in development , beginning with International Day for Rural Women on October 15th , World Food Day on October 16th and International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17th . Rural women, the majority of whom depend on natural resources and agriculture for their livelihoods, [1] make up over a quarter of the total world population. [2] In developing countries, rural women represent approximately 43 per cent of the agricultural labour force, [3] and produce, process and prepare much of the food available, thereby giving them primary responsibility for food security. Bearing in mind that 76 per cent of the extreme poor live in rural areas, [4] ensuring rural women’s access to productive agricultural resources empowers women and contributes to decreasing world hunger and poverty. [5]  UN Women supports the leadership and participation of rural women in shaping laws, poli...

Key contributors to global economies, rural women play a critical role in both developed and developing nations — they enhance agricultural and rural development, improve food security and can help reduce poverty levels in their communities. In some parts of the world, women represent 70 per cent of the agricultural workforce, comprising 43 per cent of agricultural workers worldwide. Estimates reveal that if women had the same access to productive resources as men, they could increase yields on their farms by 20-30 per cent, lifting 100-150 million out of hunger. (Photo: UN Women/David Snyder) Gender inequality and limited access to credit, healthcare and education, however, have posed a number of challenges for rural women. Further, the global food and economic crisis and climate change have only aggravated the situation. It is estimated, for instance, that 60 per cent of chronically hungry people are women and girls. Yet, the Food and Agriculture Organization estimates reveal that pr...