Hanoi, Viet Nam. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is putting gender equality in the spotlight as part of its work to support agriculture and rural development in Viet Nam.

In collaboration with the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development (IPSARD), FAO held a Consultation Workshop on Country Gender Assessment of Agriculture and the Rural Sector (CGA-ARS) in Ha Noi on 10 April 2018. This workshop was designed to consult stakeholders from ministries, UN agencies and development partners on the results of the Country Gender Assessment of Agriculture and the Rural Sector (CGA-ARS) in Viet Nam and on the gender priorities of the Country Programming Framework (CPF) between FAO and the Government of Viet Nam for 2017-2021.

The CGA-ARS is required by the corporate CPF guidelines and mandated by the FAO’s policy on gender equality. The CGA-ARS’ goal is to reveal gender disparities in access to critical agriculture and rural resources, knowledge, opportunities and markets. There is evidence that these gender inequalities contribute to low agricultural productivity and food and nutrition insecurity.

Workshop participants included representatives from IPSARD, FAO, UN agencies, related national institutes and pilot provinces Lao Cai and Ninh Thuan where the  CGA-ARS was conducted.

During the workshop, a roundtable discussion on gender priorities and enhancing multi-stakeholder partnerships in agriculture and rural development in Viet Nam was held to generate recommendations for FAO and the government.

“Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large,” said Clara Park, gender officer at FAO Regional Office for Asia-Pacific region.

The country assessment objectives inform FAO country level planning and programming in line with national development priorities, while FAO’s mandate and strategic framework facilitate its contribution to the UN Country Team CEDAW Report with up-to-date and objective information on the situation of rural women in the country.

For more information, please contact Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhat, FAO Programme Officer at [email protected]