Gender Equality as a key ingredient in a world without hunger

Achieving gender parity in all spheres of life was the main topic of a virtual event attended by FAO Director for Partnerships and UN collaboration, Marcela Villarreal, and Member of the European Parliament and the European Parliamentary Alliance against Hunger and Malnutrition, María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos.

“Parliamentarians have a key role to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and carrying the voice of women especially,” FAO’s Villarreal said. She pointed out that zero hunger could not be achieved without gender equality. FAO collaborates with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to foster inclusive and gender-equitable agricultural investments in the ECOWAS countries conducive to food and nutrition security and poverty reduction.

The webinar was organized as a side event to the European Parliament-Pan-African Parliament Inter-Parliamentary Meeting. Speakers highlighted the importance of prioritizing gender equality in the EU-Africa strategy and their commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) on gender equality. During the meeting, European and African Parliamentarians in attendance adopted a joint communiqué.

On the 25^th of November, the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles put forward their plan to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment through all external action of the European Union. The new EU Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in External Action 2021-2025 (GAP III) aims to accelerate progress on empowering women and girls, and safeguard gains made on gender equality during the 25 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and its Platform for Action.