Dear moderators,
below find the contribution of Bread for the World – Protestant Development Service to the online discussion.
- If you could make an intervention at the side event on rural women at the 8th session of the Open Working Group in New York, what would be its key message?
The closing of gender gaps is a demand in its own right aimed at the realization of women’s human rights. Women need access to education, health and employment in an environment free of violence. This is also the context in which women’s role in agriculture, food security and sustainable development should be acknowledged and valued. Accordingly, women need access to and control over agricultural and productive resources, especially land as well as equal opportunities than men for political participation and decision making. Patriarchal power structures and patterns of thought and behavior need to be challenged. This is related to the necessity to re-validate the care work women provide for society and their contributions to livelihood and food security. Existing gender roles and the traditional division of labor should not further be compounded. A transformative approach is needed to strengthen women’s position in society.
- Rural women are often described as critical agents of change in discussions on sustainable development goals. To what extent would the achievement of food and nutrition security for rural women help accelerate sustainable development?
Food and nutrition security for rural women (and girls) depends on the full realization of their human rights, including their right to adequate food and nutrition. Amongst other aspects, this includes:
- Women’s freedom from direct and/or structural violence. Women suffering from violence cannot participate as autonomous actors in efforts to address hunger and food insecurity.
- An agro-ecological approach to farming, supporting smaller scaled and family farms. Since women have to take care of their families and put food on the table, they are interested in producing a variety of food which can be consumed by the family. Agro-ecological systems respond to women’s priorities. With regard to improving existing farming practices, women need information, training and assistance. Training and assistance should be provided by female extension workers. Yet, agricultural extension is still a domain of men.
- Promotion of locally available and sustainable interventions such as breastfeeding, reproductive health and rights and the enhancement of and access to local and regional production based on agro-ecological principles as an alternative to medicalized nutrition interventions. Agriculture and production need to be linked to nutrition and health much more strongly than is presently the case.
- Support of local knowledge as promoted by IAASTD, the FAO Voluntary Guidelines to the Right to Food and food sovereignty movements in general. Women often are ignored, overlooked and not taken seriously by men when they refer to their local knowledge. Women are still seen by their male family members as well as by many development experts as farmwives rather than true farmers.
- Increasing autonomy and self determination of women and girls at all levels (local, national, international)
All the above issues need to be advanced through supportive policies at national and international level in favor of gender equality and food sovereignty in order to benefit both women and men. Local food systems shaped in the context of a rights based approach have the potential to foster greater economic autonomy, gender equality and social justice. Thus, food and nutrition security for rural women and girls and the realization of their right to adequate food and nutrition signifies that sustainable development has already been accelerated.
- Of the many facts or stats recorded on rural women, which one do you consider to be the most revealing?
55 percent of the gains against hunger in developing countries between 1970 and 1995 were due to the improvement of women’s situation within society.
The above information shows that there is no development, particularly no sustainable development, without the active participation of women. However, the following data shows how structurally embedded gender inequalities in agriculture prevent women farmers from using their competencies and developing their capacities:
Women comprise, on average, 43 percent of the agricultural labor force in developing countries, but own only 1 – 2 percent of the agricultural land.
If women had the same access to productive resources as men, they could increase yields on their farms by 20 – 30 percent. This could raise total agricultural output in developing countries by 2.5 – 4 percent, which in turn reduce the number of hungry people in the world by 12 – 12 percent.
Globally, women comprise only 15 percent of all agricultural extension workers, and only 5 percent of extension services benefit women farmers.
With best regards,
Carsta Neuenroth
Policy Adviser Gender
Bread for the World – Protestant Development Service
Protestant Agency for Diakonia and Development
Germany
Carsta Neuenroth