Women in agriculture play a vital role as agents of food security and rural economic growth, but often endure poor working conditions and receive limited recognition for their contributions. The International Day of Rural Women takes place each year on October 15 to honour the multiple roles that rural women play worldwide.

Producers’ cooperatives help rural women in farming, fishing and forestry meet the special challenges they face, including gender inequalities.

Access to agricultural land emerged as the number-one source of gender inequality in national gender profiles compiled for the first time ever in Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Vietnam.

Improving social and economic conditions for rural people is one of the keys to tackling child labour. So is reducing the exploitation of girls and boys in agriculture. An FAO study in Ghana looks at the issue.

Evictions, confiscation of property and discrimination are among the experiences increasingly reported by widows and orphans in Mozambique. An FAO-commissioned report offers recommendations to secure women’s and children’s rights to property and inheritance.