Mainstreaming gender in rural areas in the COVID-19 recovery

The 5th Women4Mediterranean Conference 2020 side event on “Mainstreaming Gender in Recovery Responses of Agri-Food Sectors And Rural Areas,” was co-organized by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM). Participants discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic has exponentially affected women, particularly in agriculture, and the main challenges ahead for them in rural areas and in the recovery of the agri-food sector.

The Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries of Tunisia, H. E. Akissa Bahri, and CIHEAM Secretary General, Plácido Plaza Lopez, opened the event. They were joined by Director of the FAO Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division, Marcela Villarreal and DG DEVCO Head of Unit for Rural Development, Food Security and Nutrition Leonard Mizzi for an insightful discussion.

In here comments, Villarreal pointed out that access to land is fundamental for women’s economic empowerment. She also added that “structural inequalities that are underpinned by women’s lack of access to resources, make them even more vulnerable in times of crisis.” She further explained how restrictions to mobility disproportionally affect women in their access to markets, due to cultural barriers.

Mr Mizzi highlighted the importance of strengthened safety nets globally, which provide some buffer from the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic. He explained that strong partnerships on the ground are among the keys to boosting the resilience and empowerment of rural women and delivering real change in their lives.