INTERVIEW: Cristina Amaral

FAO takes women’s rights and gender issues very seriously. Why?
International evidence and practice have proven that empowering rural women and girls is critical for agricultural development, for social and economic progress, and for sustainable development overall. Women form a significant proportion of the labour force in agriculture. FAO recognizes an important role and contribution from rural women in increasing food security and eradicating rural poverty through agricultural and rural development. Achieving a gender equality goal in itself is part of FAO commitment to women’s human rights as stated in international agreements, particularly the 1979 Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) signed by all FAO member governments in the region, and FAO’s own gender policy.

The status of women in Europe and Central Asia is better than in other regions, right?
While the countries are very diverse when it comes to gender equality, average indicators for Europe and Central Asia do point to higher educational status and higher economic activity rates. But if we break down available data not only by sex, but by location – for example, urban vs. rural – the disparities become evident. And in most of the countries, these disparities are not in rural women’s favour. They earn less, have fewer economic opportunities and as a result, are at greater risk of poverty.

What are the main difficulties women face in this part of the world?
Gender inequalities in access to productive assets, inputs and services – such as land, livestock, markets, labour, extension and financial services – often undermine rural women’s economic opportunities. The burden of household chores in rural areas is particularly heavy given poor rural infrastructure, and limited access to social services. Quite often rural women’s work is invisible, time spend in family farms or as caretaker in the household, is not accounted for. Still, across a range of sectors as varied as fisheries, aquaculture, crops and livestock, rural women in the region have demonstrated time and again their determination, ingenuity and resilience. With just a little help, they can turn the challenges of poverty, hunger and hardship into opportunities – for the well-being of their families and communities.

What is FAO doing to advance rural women’s rights?
FAO is trying to build knowledge of the region-specific gender and socio-economic issues and how they affect sustainable agriculture and natural resource management. We are publishing a series of national gender profiles, for example, because better knowledge and better data are essential for policy making, advocacy, and advancing rural women’s empowerment. At the same time, we strive in all our interventions to ensure that the most disadvantaged women are not left behind, and that they are involved as agents of change. The contributions of rural women are essential to improved food and nutrition security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, natural resource management, technical cooperation, knowledge exchange, research and extension.

In your own life and career, have you encountered obstacles because you were a woman?
I had the chance to have access to education and to start working at a very early age. I got my first salary when I was 18. When I went to university, girls were a minority in agronomy – it was considered a man’s job. Today, there are fewer obstacles and many girls have the best entry rankings into universities. But for some jobs, I had to work hard to overcome prejudices. I had the oportunity to lead teams in many different parts of the world and as a woman you need to be sensitive to different cultural environments and lead by example. At the end of the day we have to work as equals with our male colleagues and not in competition.

What advice would you give to rural girls and women?
My main advice would be use every opportunity to learn. Study, study, study. Enlarge your horizons. Education is the first lever to empower women and girls, and there is no set age for studying. Secondly, don’t shy away from taking an active role in society. Take your stand and participate in the social and political life of your community. Make your voice heard. Get together and participate in community associations. And, last but not least, fight for your economic independence.

8 March 2017, Budapest, Hungary