Recognising rural women

OCTOBER 15 was celebrated as International Day of Rural Women and it recognised the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, while improving food security and eradicating poverty.

According to the United Nations, rural women, the majority of whom depend on natural resources and agriculture for their livelihoods, make up over a quarter of the total world population. In developing countries, rural women represent approximately 43 per cent of the agricultural labour force, 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, ensuring rural women’s access to productive agricultural resources contributes to decreasing world hunger and poverty, and makes rural women critical for the success of the new Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030.

This international day, established by the UN General Assembly in its resolution 62/136 of December 18, 2007, was first observed on October 15, 2008.