UN report finds gender inequalities persisting in rural Armenia
More than 40 percent of economically active women in Armenia are employed in agriculture, compared to about 30 percent of men.
The vast majority of those women are informal workers on family farms however, and this fact has major implications for rural livelihoods and wellbeing, according to a report just released by FAO.
Armenia is primarily an agricultural country. The agricultural sector, together with processing, is the main driver of economic growth. Women are crucial participants and contributors to agricultural development.
FAO’s report, Gender, agriculture and rural development in Armenia, explores existing gender inequalities in agriculture, their causes, and their impact on the economic and social development of rural areas and on food security and nutrition. The report takes stock of the situation and recommends solutions in those areas where FAO is mandated to assist its member countries.
On average, women in Armenia earn less than 66 percent of men’s average wages, and their overrepresentation in informal employment prevents them from benefitting from social protection schemes.