News
The latest news and information on gender equality and women's empowerment
Coming Soon: High-level Event to “Step It Up Together for Rural Women to End Hunger and Poverty”
03/10/2016
Scheduled for 16 December 2016 at FAO in Rome, Italy, the Event will bring together governments, specialized agencies, civil society and others to reflect on the causes and consequences of gender disparities in rural areas.
FAO and India’s SEWA join efforts to empower rural women and youth
19/09/2016
New agreement aims to ensure capacity development, farmers’ access to productive resources, knowledge exchange.
Promoting Pulses in Africa: Zimbabwe's Elizabeth Mpofu named Special Ambassador for FAO's International Year
29/08/2016
An organic farmer herself, Ms Mpofu has worked tirelessly for the betterment of smallholder farmers and the rights of women.
Gender inequality in the agrifood systems of Latin America and the Caribbean
01/08/2016
New study highlights the contributions of women to cassava, quinoa, corn and cotton value chains.
Post-Soviet countries study gender statistics in agriculture
28/06/2016
Countries from Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia participated last week in a Regional Workshop on Gender Statistics for the Agricultural and Rural Sector.
FAO and India's SEWA seek closer cooperation to boost rural women's access to land, skills and financial resources
07/06/2016
Partnership would include capacity development and empowerment initiatives.
Statistics help paint a picture of Central Asia’s rural women
30/05/2016
FAO presents gender profiles for agricultural and rural sectors of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
FAO survey on street food vendors in Accra finds women play a central role
30/05/2016
Interim findings show sector is run mainly by women, and that almost half of all vendors in central Accra operate near a school, making them a central element in the nutrition of school children.
Azerbaijan launches rural advisory services for women
14/04/2016
An FAO project aims at equal access to rural services for women, along with gender-sensitive agricultural extension services and personnel.
Indigenous women represent Philippines in global leadership school
07/04/2016
Sixteen women from across the Cordillera Administrative Region and Mindanao are representing the Philippines in the Global Leadership School of Indigenous Women spearheaded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Inter
FAO and ECOWAS declare continuous support for women in agriculture
21/03/2016
Ministers of Gender and Women’s Affairs from ECOWAS countries pledge to work to ensure that gender is adequately addressed in the implementation of the ECOWAS Zero Hunger Initiative.
International agencies in Rome together commemorate Women's Day
10/03/2016
Making collective and individual commitments for achieving worldwide gender equity.
Stories, successes, and results for rural women’s economic empowerment: joint UN programme gathers speed
07/03/2016
How a multi-agency programme is making a difference in the lives of rural women around the world.
2016 African Union Year of Human Rights: FAO and AU focus on women's rights to land, food, decent employment
25/02/2016
Key stakeholders at AU meetings last month discussed practical actions to improve the livelihoods of African women, particularly in the context of agriculture and agro-processing initiatives.
Harnessing the power of ICTs to enhance women smallholder farmer productivity and access to markets
23/02/2016
Closing the digital gender gap: women farmers in South Africa receive ICT training under the “She Will Connect” programme.
Strengthening ASEAN’s agri-industry through the empowerment of women
23/11/2015
ASEAN countries could boost productivity of their agribusinesses simply by improving opportunities for women to participate in the sector on an equal footing with men, a senior UN official said.
Gender in Climate-Smart Agriculture: new module launched at CFS
12/10/2015
“Gender in Climate-Smart Agriculture,” the latest module of the Gender in Agriculture Sourcebook, was launched today during a side event of the 42nd session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) in Rome. The publication provides comprehensive guid
The Power of the Adolescent Girl: FAO, UN, global community mark International Day of the Girl Child
12/10/2015
There are nearly 600 million girls aged 10 to 19 in the world today. As the global community marks the International Day of the Girl Child this week, FAO recognizes the enormous potential of adolescent girls to transform rural communities and play their p
Afghanistan: Launch of National Strategy on Women in Agriculture Development
01/10/2015
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations have this week launched a “National Strategy on Women in Agriculture Development”.
Mainstreaming gender in South Africa and beyond: a people-centered approach
30/09/2015
Her Excellency the Honourable Baleka Mbete, Speaker of Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, delivered a special address this week at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), on gender mainstreaming in the African region and beyond.