Narrowing the gender gap is critical to development

The gender gap remains a major obstacle to development, especially in rural areas, where it has a significant impact on land ownership and access to finance and digital services. A debate organized by the Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment (NAT) section of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) heard that these three aspects are crucial to empowering rural women, increasing food security and making their livelihoods more resilient.

Presenting FAO’s work on gender issues was Lauren Phillips, Deputy Director of FAO’s Division of Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality. FAO is proud to reach “significantly above average” performance in the UN SWAP 2.0 accountability framework on gender mainstreaming in the UN system. As an illustration, Ms Phillips showed the Joint Programme on accelerating progress towards the economic empowerment of rural women (JP RWEE). Jointly implemented since 2012 by FAO, IFAD, UN Women and WFP, the project builds on each agency’s comparative advantages to improve the status of women in rural areas. Together with a presentation by Sascha Gabizon, Executive Director of Women Engage For a Common Future (WECF International), this formed the basis of a lively discussion.

At the meeting, members of the NAT section of the EESC highlighted the role that men can play in bridging the gender gap, and urged a stronger focus on the gender perspective in all future development initiatives.

FAO recognizes the intersection between climate change and gender, as women and girls are generally more negatively impacted by changes in weather patterns and their repercussions. To address this challenge – and in all areas of its work, including projects and research – the Organization uses a transformative gender approach, as reflected in the FAO Policy on Gender Equality 2020-2030. In addition, FAO supports governments in implementing the Voluntary Guidelines on Gender Equality and Women’s and Girls’ Empowerment in the Context of Food Security and Nutrition. In Spring 2023, a report on the Status of Women in Agrifood Systems will be published. On the website of FAO’s Division of Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality, you can find more information on the Organization’s work on gender.