5 ways we can enable young #ruralwomen to participate in rural transformation
If we are to achieve #ZeroHunger and end rural poverty, we can’t afford to leave young rural women behind. Women comprise about 43 percent of the agricultural labor force, but even more of its potential.
Inclusive rural transformation means creating more employment opportunities for women, both on and off the farm. ©FAO/Mohammad Rakibul Hasan
For billions of people around the world, rural transformation means new opportunities. Greater access to knowledge and tools means more productive farming, while greater productivity on the farm means more resources for education, health and other activities. Through rural transformation, rural people can drive economic growth, fight hunger and lift their own communities out of poverty.
To realize this potential, however, rural transformation needs to be inclusive. As it stands, women – and especially young women – are unable to take advantage of all the opportunities that rural transformation can provide. With less education, fewer job opportunities and more restrictive cultural expectations, young rural women typically face additional barriers that other people in poverty do not. Unless policies address these disparities, rural transformation runs the risk of continuing to overlook the needs of young rural women – and leaving women further behind.
Because of the pre-existing challenges that young rural women face, inclusive rural transformation won’t just happen naturally. Rather, we need to make it happen. Here are five ways that FAO is addressing these challenges and increasing inclusivity by enabling young rural women to participate in rural transformation.