FAO’s CSW63 event sheds light on social protection initiatives for rural women
“Social protection and gender equality are absolutely necessary complements to each other to attain sustainable equality and poverty reduction. In particular, they are essential for rural women’s economic empowerment, gender equality and food security and nutrition across the globe,” said Junko Sazaki, Director of the Social Policies and Rural Institutions Division at FAO, during a side event hosted by FAO on the margins of the 63rd Session on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW63) on 13 March in New York.
Organized on the theme, “How Can Social protection enhance Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Rural Women and Girls?”, the event shared experiences and lessons from effective practices, innovative strategies in enhancing gender equality and empowerment rural women and girls through social protection measures. It also marked the New York launch of the Toolkit on Gender-Sensitive Social Protection Programmes to combat Rural Poverty and Hunger.
Moderating the side event, Sazaki noted that social protection plays a major role in the lives of rural women and girls and that social protection programmes should be designed in a gender-sensitive fashion.
Delivering the opening remarks, H.E. Nilda Romero Santacruz, Minister of Women of the Republic of Paraguay, noted that enhancing the social and economic status of women including their food security is fundamental to women’s empowerment. She also informed that Paraguay has been undertaking legal reform to empower rural women through the 2015 Law of Public Policies for rural areas. A law that is groundbreaking in its focus onthe empowerment and wellbeing of Paraguay’s rural women.
H.E. Stephanie Auguste, Minister of Human Rights and Fight against Extreme Poverty, Republic of Haiti, delivered closing remarks with examples of social protection programs from Haiti. The Minister also expressed appreciation for FAO’s support renewing Haiti’s commitment to continue collaborative work in support of rural women.
The event also featured a panel discussion from a range of perspectives.
Susan Kaaria, Senior Gender Officer at FAO, gave a technical presentation on FAO’s evidence generation work and technical guidance toolkit to ensure that gender is considered in the design, implementation and monitoring of gender-sensitive social protection.
On this topic, she introduced a new FAO resource entitled, “Technical Guidance Toolkit on Gender-Sensitive Social Protection to Combat Rural Poverty and Hunger.” Consisting of three modules, the Toolkit aims to develop capacities, improve the awareness, knowledge and skills of policymakers and practitioners to integrate gender in the design, implementation and M&E of cash transfer and public works programmes.
Wafaa Dikah Hamze, Senior Adviser for international cooperation and policy development in agro-food sector, presented on some of the key initiatives Lebanon has been carrying out with FAO support to promote social protection to farmers and fishers.
Roopa Hinton, Social Development Advisor, Department for International Development of the United Kingdom, provided a donor perspective and informed that social protection not only reduces poverty and hunger but puts youth in school and empowers people. She also underscored the need for a comprehensive social protection system that addresses the risks entailed in a person’s entire lifecycle.
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