FAO and the European Union debate rural women’s empowerment

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) invited FAO to participate in a debate on ‘Empowering women in rural areas’, which took place during a meeting of the Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment (NAT). FAO is working to reduce gender inequalities through their work on norms and standards, data and information, policy dialogue, capacity development, knowledge and technologies, partnerships, and advocacy and communication.

The FAO delegation presented the organization’s holistic transformative approaches to rural development, which addresses the challenges faced by both women and men, through the creation of decent jobs, social infrastructure and targeting the needs of the most disadvantaged. An overview of gender gaps in agriculture, such as those regarding land tenure, farm ownership and management, agricultural labour practices and access to agricultural inputs and resources was also provided to the participants.

Further interventions at the event came from civil society organizations, such as the Spanish Federation of Rural Women’s Associations, whose chair Teresa López spoke about the situation of women in rural areas around Europe.

FAO works closely with its partners on the reduction of gender inequalities. A joint programme on Gender Transformative Approaches that is funded by the European Union is implemented by FAO and its sister agencies the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

You can read more about FAO’s work on gender here.