FAO at the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development 2025: Goal 5 – Gender equality

Claudia Brito, FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, delivered an statement at the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development 2025 panel on ''Goal 5 – Gender equality".

 

Women are central to agrifood systems, contributing through agricultural production, natural resource management, off-farm employment, and unpaid care work. Despite their vital roles, women in Latin America and the Caribbean face persistent structural inequalities that limit their access to food security, resources, and economic opportunities, and increase their vulnerability to climate change.

From 2021 to 2023, women in the region experienced higher levels of moderate or severe food insecurity than men, with gender gaps reaching up to 6.6 percentage points. Rural women are especially affected, experiencing higher poverty rates and limited access to land, credit, and technology. Additionally, 17.2% of women aged 15 to 49 in the region suffer from anemia, with the highest prevalence in the Caribbean.

Empowering women in agrifood systems is not only a matter of rights but also an economic imperative. Closing the gender gap in farm productivity could increase global GDP by nearly USD 1 trillion and improve food security for 45 million people. Despite some progress in legal protections for women’s land rights—33% of LAC countries have robust legal frameworks—gaps remain in implementation and access.

Women’s access to financial services also lags behind men’s due to collateral limitations, lack of training, and discriminatory norms. Gender-transformative policies and inclusive financial models are needed to enable women’s participation and resilience.

Climate change exacerbates gender inequalities. Female-headed households face greater income losses due to climate shocks, and women bear increased burdens of care and resource management. Climate policies must recognize the unique needs of rural, Indigenous, and Afro-descendant women.

More sex-disaggregated data and evidence are essential to inform policies. Upscaling proven gender-sensitive interventions and dismantling discriminatory laws and norms are key to advancing SDG 5 and building equitable, resilient agrifood systems.