Origins - World Rural Women's Day

Women in rural areas are a marginalised group. Although they hold a central position in the production of food at a world level, which reaches 80 percent in African countries, 60 percent in Asian countries and 30-40 percent in South America and is increasing worldwide year after year, their role is not recognised in agriculture.

However, the defence of the rights of these women and the struggle against the violence suffered by these citizens of the rural world is of vital importance. It is necessary to emphasise the rights of women in rural areas to equal opportunities and to put right the discrimination that they suffer.

On the occasion of the World Rural Women’s Day 2005, the IFAP Standing Committee on Women Farmers recommends that the attention of governments and international authorities should be drawn to the following points:

Rights concerning violence against rural women

Domestic violence is a reality in rural areas. Educative work within the family unit is indispensable to eradicate this unacceptable situation. In order to ensure that their rights are respected, women must also have access to law courts. There are however innumerable obstacles impeding access to justice, especially for those women who live in remote rural areas: absence of authorities in charge of enforcing laws, the poor training of the existing authorities, limited access to health and law services, precariousness in the provision of services, to name a few.

Recommendations:

- To design innovative strategies in order to avoid this violence and ways to integrate this situation into health services in collaboration with the different countries’ authorities

- To raise awareness within the population about the magnitude and extent of violence against women

- To create efficient local bodies in rural communities that take charge of women when their rights are violated

- To raise awareness about the conventions and other legal instruments that concern women’s rights.

Women’s rights in armed conflicts

Around 90% of the victims of today’s wars are civilians, most of them women and children. In many countries, women suffer from systematic raping used as a war tactic. Other forms of violence include assassinations, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy, compulsory sterilisation and recruiting of women as combatants.

Recommendations:

- To call for legislative reforms in cases of conflict with effective supervision in order to enforce the respect of women

- To facilitate as much as possible the access to public services, education, health care, police protection, telephone and transportation services in order to avoid violence against women in cases of conflict

- To activate existing measures to accelerate the protection of women’s rights in cases of conflict

- To promote an equitable participation of women in the solution of conflicts

The right to health care

Good health is essential in achieving good results in the workplace. In order to prevent health problems in rural communities, it is necessary to improve sanitary conditions. Easier access and better quality of health services will help reduce illness in families, support women during and after pregnancy and control their fertility, among other benefits, it also will improve the quality of life in rural communities.

Recommendations:

- To facilitate the access to knowledge for rural women as well as general information about health, nutrition, child care, etc.

- To put pressure on governments through their health departments in order that these needs that have been repeatedly demonstrated in studies and field work about rural communities become essential premises of law

- To promote awareness campaigns about the importance of health for rural women

The right to education

Education is a fundamental right for all citizens and it constitutes an essential tool to develop critical interest among people and improves their capacity for decision making on a more solid basis. With education, people will have a better knowledge of their rights, better negotiation skills and they will succeed in making their interests known and working to obtain advances in the rural world. Globally, women represent 2/3 of the illiterate population.

Recommendations:

- To organise training for women within organisations with the support of development agencies

- To give them a solid and regularly updated training so they can defend their interests in work meetings and before the authorities

- To work with agricultural research and education structures in order to organise training workshops

- To spread knowledge among rural women which can be transmitted from generation to generation

The right of women to participate in farmers’ organisations and decision making

The vast majority of the poor on our planet live in rural areas, 70% of these poor are women and their main resource is farming. Priority must therefore be given to the taking into consideration of the interests and needs of women farmers in development policies. It is indispensable that rural women understand all the details of the policies that govern them and that they get involved in the elaboration of the political positions of the agricultural organisations that represent them.

Recommendations:

- To strengthen their capacities through a full and active participation in farmers’ organisations and in decision making bodies

- To obtain seats for women on all the committees and working groups of farmers’ organisations

- To organise and promote women’s structures in farmers’ organisations

- To actively participate in debates and national and international programmes, within the organisations and with other organisations

- To make contact with government officials in order to explain the concerns of rural women

The right of rural women to participate in markets

Trade is one of the tools that can be used to ensure sustainable development worldwide. Women in general and women farmers in particular should be able to use this tool to its full extent.

Recommendations:

- To organise workshops with the support of external participants with the aim of improving the productivity and competitiveness of women farmers

- To analyse the marketing process for the productions of rural women in order to improve its efficiency

- To train in order to improve marketing and market access in the national, regional and international markets

- To ensure that agricultural organisations that include women farmers are involved in discussions with the country’s negotiators

The right of access to natural resources

A guaranteed right of access to land and water often results in a more efficient and judicious use of land and agricultural resources, it also facilitates access to credit when it is backed by property. This is an engine that drives progress: the access and control of land and water opens the way to increased productivity and sustainable agricultural development.

Recommendations:

- To obtain from political authorities a national and international commitment for an equitable and sustainable distribution of natural resources taking the local social, economical, cultural and environmental context into account

- To recognise the right of property for the women farmers as well as their right of inheritance

- To ensure the taking into account of rural women on world platforms about a secure and sustainable right to existing natural resources

- To facilitate the access to knowledge, training and general and technical information concerning the access and management of natural resources for women farmers

Labour rights in the agricultural sector

In the agricultural sector, the overexploitation of women’s labour traditionally results in an inequality of the salaries for equivalent work and competence. In many cases rural women do not benefit from a social security system since they are classed as farmers’ wives. In spite of the noticeable increase of the participation of women in the world of labour in the past few years, this difference in the recognition of labour in the farming sector still persists.

Recommendations:

- To ensure the existence of a legislation that recognises the professional status of women farmers and the equality between men and women in the farming sector

- To take all necessary and appropriate measures in order that women farmers have full knowledge of the legislation

- To facilitate the access to knowledge and to general information about labour rights for women farmers

The rights of indigenous women

Indigenous women have an important role, not only in farming, but also as transmitters and holders of cultural elements that include nature as part of a global universe. Traditionally, indigenous women and girls suffer from discrimination, exclusion and they bear the consequences of harmful traditional practises.

Recommendations:

- To project their identity, recognising differences and promoting diversity

- To develop plans and programmes in research centres destined to strengthen and dignify indigenous women

The Beijing platform adopted 10 years ago by the United Nations was a great step forward and we have seen noticeable achievements. However, there is still a long way to go to obtain these rights. Many obstacles must still be overcome and women should make their voices increasingly heard in the world. Happy World Rural Women’s Day!



*Origin* *Events* *Archive* *Proclamations*		« What rights for women as rural citizens? » RURAL WOMEN’S RECOMMENDATIONS Women in rural areas are a marginalised group. Although they hold a central position in the production of food at a world level, which reaches 80 percent in African countries, 60 percent in Asian countries and 30-40 percent in South America and is increasing worldwide year after year, their role is not recognised in agriculture. However, the defence of the rights of these women and the struggle against the violence suffered by these citizens of the rural world is of vital importance. It is necessary to emphasise the rights of women in rural areas to equal opportunities and to put right the discrimination that they suffer. On the occasion of the World Rural Women’s Day 2005, the IFAP Standing Committee on Women Farmers recommends that the attention of governments and international authorities should be drawn to the following points: Rights concerning violence against rural women Domestic violence is a reality in rural areas. Educative work within the family unit is indispensable to eradicate this unacceptable situation. In order to ensure that their rights are respected, women must also have access to law courts. There are however innumerable obstacles impeding access to justice, especially for those women who live in remote rural areas: absence of authorities in charge of enforcing laws, the poor training of the existing authorities, limited access to health and law services, precariousness in the provision of services, to name a few. Recommendations: - To design innovative strategies in order to avoid this violence and ways to integrate this situation into health services in collaboration with the different countries’ authorities - To raise awareness within the population about the magnitude and extent of violence against women - To create efficient local bodies in rural communities that take charge of women when their rights are violated - To raise awareness about the conventions and other legal instruments that concern women’s rights. Women’s rights in armed conflicts Around 90% of the victims of today’s wars are civilians, most of them women and children. In many countries, women suffer from systematic raping used as a war tactic. Other forms of violence include assassinations, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy, compulsory sterilisation and recruiting of women as combatants. Recommendations: - To call for legislative reforms in cases of conflict with effective supervision in order to enforce the respect of women - To facilitate as much as possible the access to public services, education, health care, police protection, telephone and transportation services in order to avoid violence against women in cases of conflict - To activate existing measures to accelerate the protection of women’s rights in cases of conflict - To promote an equitable participation of women in the solution of conflicts The right to health care Good health is essential in achieving good results in the workplace. In order to prevent health problems in rural communities, it is necessary to improve sanitary conditions. Easier access and better quality of health services will help reduce illness in families, support women during and after pregnancy and control their fertility, among other benefits, it also will improve the quality of life in rural communities. Recommendations: - To facilitate the access to knowledge for rural women as well as general information about health, nutrition, child care, etc. - To put pressure on governments through their health departments in order that these needs that have been repeatedly demonstrated in studies and field work about rural communities become essential premises of law - To promote awareness campaigns about the importance of health for rural women The right to education Education is a fundamental right for all citizens and it constitutes an essential tool to develop critical interest among people and improves their capacity for decision making on a more solid basis. With education, people will have a better knowledge of their rights, better negotiation skills and they will succeed in making their interests known and working to obtain advances in the rural world. Globally, women represent 2/3 of the illiterate population. Recommendations: - To organise training for women within organisations with the support of development agencies - To give them a solid and regularly updated training so they can defend their interests in work meetings and before the authorities - To work with agricultural research and education structures in order to organise training workshops - To spread knowledge among rural women which can be transmitted from generation to generation The right of women to participate in farmers’ organisations and decision making The vast majority of the poor on our planet live in rural areas, 70% of these poor are women and their main resource is farming. Priority must therefore be given to the taking into consideration of the interests and needs of women farmers in development policies. It is indispensable that rural women understand all the details of the policies that govern them and that they get involved in the elaboration of the political positions of the agricultural organisations that represent them. Recommendations: - To strengthen their capacities through a full and active participation in farmers’ organisations and in decision making bodies - To obtain seats for women on all the committees and working groups of farmers’ organisations - To organise and promote women’s structures in farmers’ organisations - To actively participate in debates and national and international programmes, within the organisations and with other organisations - To make contact with government officials in order to explain the concerns of rural women The right of rural women to participate in markets Trade is one of the tools that can be used to ensure sustainable development worldwide. Women in general and women farmers in particular should be able to use this tool to its full extent. Recommendations: - To organise workshops with the support of external participants with the aim of improving the productivity and competitiveness of women farmers - To analyse the marketing process for the productions of rural women in order to improve its efficiency - To train in order to improve marketing and market access in the national, regional and international markets - To ensure that agricultural organisations that include women farmers are involved in discussions with the country’s negotiators The right of access to natural resources A guaranteed right of access to land and water often results in a more efficient and judicious use of land and agricultural resources, it also facilitates access to credit when it is backed by property. This is an engine that drives progress: the access and control of land and water opens the way to increased productivity and sustainable agricultural development. Recommendations: - To obtain from political authorities a national and international commitment for an equitable and sustainable distribution of natural resources taking the local social, economical, cultural and environmental context into account - To recognise the right of property for the women farmers as well as their right of inheritance - To ensure the taking into account of rural women on world platforms about a secure and sustainable right to existing natural resources - To facilitate the access to knowledge, training and general and technical information concerning the access and management of natural resources for women farmers Labour rights in the agricultural sector In the agricultural sector, the overexploitation of women’s labour traditionally results in an inequality of the salaries for equivalent work and competence. In many cases rural women do not benefit from a social security system since they are classed as farmers’ wives. In spite of the noticeable increase of the participation of women in the world of labour in the past few years, this difference in the recognition of labour in the farming sector still persists. Recommendations: - To ensure the existence of a legislation that recognises the professional status of women farmers and the equality between men and women in the farming sector - To take all necessary and appropriate measures in order that women farmers have full knowledge of the legislation - To facilitate the access to knowledge and to general information about labour rights for women farmers The rights of indigenous women Indigenous women have an important role, not only in farming, but also as transmitters and holders of cultural elements that include nature as part of a global universe. Traditionally, indigenous women and girls suffer from discrimination, exclusion and they bear the consequences of harmful traditional practises. Recommendations: - To project their identity, recognising differences and promoting diversity - To develop plans and programmes in research centres destined to strengthen and dignify indigenous women The Beijing platform adopted 10 years ago by the United Nations was a great step forward and we have seen noticeable achievements. However, there is still a long way to go to obtain these rights. Many obstacles must still be overcome and women should make their voices increasingly heard in the world. Happy World Rural Women’s Day!