Posted March 1998
ALL RELATED national institutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran have recognized the central role of women in agriculture and rural development. At the President's Office, within the Women's Bureau, special attention have been given to rural women's issues in all kinds of activities, with the main concern on how to coordinate efforts of all sectors related to rural women.. To achieve this objective, a high council was established with members from all national institutions engaged in rendering services to rural women.
In order to put an effective plan for mobilization and coordination of all resources working with and assisting in the development of rural women, the Ministry of Agriculture requested FAO/RNE to assist in organizing the above workshop, and agreement has been reached between the two parties.
The Workshop was held at the premises of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Organization (AREEO), Ministry of Agriculture , from 27-29 October1997, and organized by AREEO, Women in Development Department, with the technical and financial support of FAO/ RNE.
The main objective of this workshop was to find a mechanism to coordinate the multi-sectoral efforts in the country to promote the gender-based networking, extension and food security.
The Workshop was inaugurated by H.E. Ms. M. Ebtikar, Deputy President of the Republic and Head of Environmental Organization, and H.E. Ms. Z. Shodjaii, Advisor to the President of the Republic and Head of Women's Participation Bureau. The opening session was attended by about 350 persons, including the senior officials of the various concerned Ministries, Organizations and institutions, and FAO Office in Teheran.
Seventeen national institutions and 168 officials of the Ministry of Agriculture from 28 provinces participated in this workshop. Eighteen working papers were presented and discussed.
The representatives of 17 institutions agreed on the following major important issue that "the status of rural women is still under estimated and not endowed with sufficient facilities such as: education, information, training, extension, access to credits and technology, land holding, nutrition, and other inputs". Accordingly they need all possible collaborative efforts by all the related sectors in the country to strengthen the above weaknesses, and give full support to the rural and farmer women.
So, they agreed to draw out a specialized program for the improvement of the rural women living conditions and social status through:
To implement the above program they agreed to establish " inter-departmental unit" at the central level, and "inter-institution committees" at the village levels, to study the immediate needs of the village , draw plans and coordinate efforts, among themselves and with the central HQs of the organizations, to execute these plans.
Center for women's participation - Office of President
Bureau of Women's Affairs - Ministry of Interior
Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization
Ministry of Health.
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Jihad-Construction
Literacy Movement Organization
Communication Network of Women's NGO's
Welfare Organization.
Imam Khomeini Relief Committee
Agricultural Bank
Handicraft Organization
Environmental Protection Organization.
National Research Institute for Nutrition and Food Technology
Central Rural Cooperative Organization
Central Rural Cooperative Organization.
The participants, after 3 days of deliberations and exchange of views, compiled and ratified the following resolution consisting of 17 clauses and one project:
Clause I:
All participants were in full agreement that the status of women in respect to the propagation, sounding and expansion of sacred place of Iranian Muslim women would tread in the path for the continuation of unique character and behaviour of distinguished personality of Her Holiness Lady Fatemeh Zahra (SA) as a pattern of life.
Clause II:
We pay tribute to the extraordinary role and high aspirations of rural women and thank all forces, who in some manner, are striving to help this sector.
Clause III:
Under the prevalent situation, with due regard to the stipulations of this resolution, an urgent need is felt to draw out a specialized program specifically for the rural women and enhancement of opportunities for the improvement of their living conditions.
Clause IV:
Due attention to the role of rural women in the process of sustainable development and social equity should be strongly emphasized. Therefore, all projects and programmes must be based on the roles, requirements and priorities of rural women and should correlate with their personal participation in explaining their problems.
Clause V:
The problems and difficulties of rural women should be included in all forum agenda's relevant to women and necessary investment in this aspect should be executed.
Clause VI:
Despite the efforts made until now, rural women, in general, are not endowed with sufficient facilities regarding education, information and necessary facilities. Therefore, necessary endeavors should be made to enhance their capabilities in the utilization of new techniques.
Clause VII:
Illiteracy and meagre knowledge of rural women could be cited as one of the most important prevalent causes in the creation of limitations for the acquisition of technology; hence it is absolutely vital to draw out plans to increasing their awareness and level of literacy as well as benefit from knowledge as an important communicating tool.
Clause VIII:
Future activities related to extension training in forwarding services to rural women should be strengthened and expanded, and planning and policy making on a macro scale should be materialized.
Clause IX:
The role of women in Health-care, agriculture environmental protection, economics and family income planning, as well as prime producers and supplies of food nutrients are of fundamental importance. Therefore, it is essential to assist them, by various means, in playing a much more active role in the developmental fields.
Clause X:
For the rural women to have access to agricultural inputs, services, production and educational resources, necessary facilities should be made available.
Clause XI:
The existing governmental organizations should be encouraged to extend greater support to rural women, through various channels and the government should likewise give support to these organizations.
Clause XII:
Upgrading of culture of rural society in the diverse fields of women's needs and problems as a prerequisite for facilitating the trend of development, should be taken into consideration.
Clause XIII:
With due attention to the widespread and diverse capabilities of relevant rural women's organizations, as well as due to the common objective which all share and pursue, in providing services, and struggle in the fulfillment of sustainable development, it is befitting that for the exploitation of these facilities, as far as feasible in expediting fulfillment of objectives and prevention of duplication, all offices and institutions and organizations, should be in close contact with one another and give top priority to the program of expansion of inter-departmental participation. It is recommended that a separate unit, under the title of "inter-departmental cooperative and collaborative unit" be foreseen and put into operation.
Clause XIV:
In order to formulate an appropriate program for the improvement of rural women's state of affairs, it is absolutely vital to execute research and necessary investigations to pin-point the problems and difficulties of rural women through the medium of research and education.
Clause XV:
Mass media plays a very effective role in the rural women's awareness. Hence, it is essential that responsible authorities of mass-media of the country pay due attention to this prominent subject.
Clause XVI:
In fulfillment of the principle clause 21 of the Constitution and managerial role of women in safeguarding and strengthening growth and ingenuity of families, necessary investment in varying dimension is essential for the growth and upgrading of women's status.
Clause XVII:
In order to coordinate and organize a useful and effective gender-based networking, in accordance with the objectives that has been carefully investigated by the participants in the various sessions of the workshops, call efforts should be put together to draw up an effective and practical plan, and continuous follow-ups and monitoring for its execution
 
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