Speaking at the Human Rights Council’s High-level Panel on the 25th Anniversary of the Beijing Conference and Platform for Action on women and girls, FAO Geneva Director, Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett stated that gender equality is essential for attaining food security and nutrition and, for achieving all the Sustainable Development Goals.

Ms Birkett underscored that “Much has been achieved since the Beijing Conference and Platform for Action on women and girls but much remains to be done. While gender equality is essential for attaining food security and nutrition, women do not have equal access to the resources and opportunities they need to be more productive and, as a result, the rural sector underperforms in many countries.”

According to FAO figures, women comprise about 43% of the agricultural labour force in developing countries and are critical agents of change in the fight against rural poverty, hunger and malnutrition; yet they receive only 5% of all agricultural extension services; only 15% of all extension agents are women; and only 10% of total aid for agriculture, forestry and fisheries goes to women.

Related links

• Read more on FAO’s work on Gender here.

• Webcast of the Panel Discussion on 25th Anniversary of Beijing Declaration –  4th Meeting, 43rd Regular Session Human Rights Council is available here.