Origins - World Rural Women's Day

“Peace for Rural Women to Achieve Food Security”

Statement to the Celebration of

World Rural Women’s Day and World Food Day.

By Mrs Hilda Stewart, World President of the Associated Country Women of the World

Themes: Access to agricultural resources and raw materials, food security and nutrition, education, women representation in governing structures, and the fight against HIV/AIDS

Kampala, Uganda, 15th – 17th October 2001

The Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) is the largest international organisation of rural women and homemakers with a membership of over 9 million members in 70 countries worldwide, the majority of whom depend on agriculture for a living.

ACWW’s aims are to improve the standard of living of women, their families and communities through a world-wide network of advocacy and grass roots projects. ACWW is active in sustainable development projects, in agricultural training and development, micro credit/ income generation, nutrition and health issues including HIV/ AIDS prevention and education, literacy, environmental issues, and access to clean water and sanitation. ACWW has held consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) since 1947.

World Rural Women's Day and World Food Day are celebrated annually by ACWW Member Societies worldwide. Although agriculture is generally perceived to be a male occupation women produce more than 50% of all food grown (55% in the developing world and approximately 80% in Africa)i yet they have little or no access to the decision-making and ownership of community projects.

ACWW, as one of the initiators of World Rural Women's Day in 1995, urges governments, United Nations Agencies and donor organisations to recognize the tremendous potential and expertise that women have in the field of food production and thus towards the achievement of world food security.

ACWW believes that if world food security is to be assured, traditionally marginalised women farmers and rural women must be fully integrated into the mainstream of production in order to ensure agricultural sustainability. They must be given access to land, credit, technology, training and agricultural extension services.

Women today are leading very different lives to that of their mothers and grandmothers. Increasingly they face the challenge of the responsibility for household income and food production, in addition to child raising, food preparation, fuel and water gathering, and the care of the sick and elderly.

Despite the robust growth in the world economy the problems of hunger and poverty still remain. Many people around the world still go to bed hungry, wake up without hope and exist day by day without any prospects of a better quality of life.

· Initiate a global plan to improve agriculture for the benefit of all which should include food production, biological agriculture (reduction in the use of pesticides), energy use, water management (conservation, irrigation, recycling), improved technology (growing crops to improve soil quality and give high yields), formation of land conservation groups, diversity of agricultural crops, food storage and distribution, seed banks;

· Ensure that social and economic advancement for rural women is promoted within the framework of all national plans;

· Mobilise political will at all levels to target rural women as participants and beneficiaries of all policies, programmes and development projects;

· Create opportunities for rural women to assume leadership positions, involve them in decision making with regard to the spending of funds, give them ownership of community projects;

· Consider food security as a common concern to be achieved through an integrated approach by all governments, agencies, donors and NGOS

Hunger and poverty are not the only challenges we face in today's world. The advances of humankind over the centuries have spawned other problems too. The greatest challenge of all is that of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic - a huge threat for large scale human destruction and misery.

It is difficult to grasp the enormity of the situation but there is an urgent need to further highlight the issue - the innocent victims are the children - some inherit it at birth through mother to child transmission ... in many countries traditional and customary practices that subordinate women in the household and community, render those women vulnerable and yet they have little or no access to even the most minimal of health care when they become infected.

HIV/AIDS is a huge issue for the future well being of the girl child. Child prostitution, a leading HIV factor often grows out of a family's need for the very basic resources of food and shelter for other family members. Incest, and male to child transmission is growing, through the belief by some men that young virgins will cure them. Victims of both sexes and all ages become stigmatised and ostracised, and once they are infected are often subjected to physical violence.

As a result of HIV/AIDS more than 13 million orphaned children are living on the most meagre of resources ii.

Women’s organisations at all levels have opportunities and responsibilities to help to contain and to resolve the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and must use their lobbying power to make governments aware of the negative impact of HIV/AIDS and how it impinges on development efforts, whether it is government led or NGO led.

Alarmed by the accelerating spread and impact of the AIDS crisis, in November 2000 the United Nations General Assembly called for a Special Session on HIV/AIDS to be held on June 25-27 2001 at the highest political level in order to combat the epidemic and to mobilise resources world-wide to that end. The shortness of the preparatory period for such a major international event was unprecedented. It resulted in the need for equally urgent responses from those wishing to act.

The subsequent Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS is wide ranging and builds on hard won progress made at recent world meetings concerning the rights, status, health and well-being of women and girls including commitments made on HIV/AIDS. Prevention is the main thrust of the document and a target set for 2006 calls for a 20% reduction in the number of children born HIV positive. Provision of effective treatment for inflicted women aims to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV and thereby the number of these children by 50% in 2011.

Discussion at the 45th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in March 2001 confirmed that the proportion of women with HIV is increasing; while teenage girls are infected at a rate 5 or 6 times higher than their male counterparts. In areas of greatest need, traditional attitudes and practices and poverty combine to ensure that women and girls are not in a position to secure safe sex nor, once infected, receive appropriate care and support.

Implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS depends on action and coordination of effort by governments, the UN system and by people everywhere. Clearly women's organisations at all levels have particular opportunities and responsibilities in these regards.

Bearing in mind the urgency of the world wide AIDS epidemic, its rapid acceleration and devastating effects, ACWW strongly supports the outcomes of the UN General Assembly, Special Session on HIV/AIDS held 25th – 27th June 2001, and the UN Millennium Summit Declaration of September 2000.

At the last three ACWW Triennial World Conferences in New Zealand 1995, South Africa 1998 and Canada 2001, Resolutions on HIV/AIDS were unanimously accepted. ACWW and its Member Societies, within their respective programmes, have thus pledged to do their utmost to work towards securing the full implementation by governments and by society of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and its accompanying targets.

ACWW stresses the value of a human rights based approach to the AIDS pandemic bearing in mind existing factors of gender discrimination and exploitation which make women, female adolescents and the girl child the most vulnerable victims of this cruel disease.

ACWW will continue to promote HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, treatment, care and support and stresses the urgent need for the provision of adequate resources to enable local access for all, including those who live in rural areas, to HIV/AIDS counselling, health and welfare facilities and services.

A huge challenge but one which must be addressed in order to achieve “Peace for Rural Women to achieve Food Security”.

· Poverty and inequality between men and women is driving the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

· Most men, however poor, can chose when, with whom and with what protection to have sex. Most women cannot.

· More than 13 million children have been orphaned by AIDS.600,000 infants are infected every year through mother-to-child transmission.

· Governments need to be aware of the negative impact of HIV/AIDS on development efforts.

· AIDS has decimated the ranks of farmers and teachers in many African countries.

· Strong national plans and community participation can reverse spiraling infection.



*Origin* *Events* *Archive* *Proclamations*		WORLD RURAL WOMEN DAY 2001 “Peace for Rural Women to Achieve Food Security” Statement to the Celebration of World Rural Women’s Day and World Food Day. By Mrs Hilda Stewart, World President of the Associated Country Women of the World Themes: Access to agricultural resources and raw materials, food security and nutrition, education, women representation in governing structures, and the fight against HIV/AIDS Kampala, Uganda, 15th – 17th October 2001 The Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) is the largest international organisation of rural women and homemakers with a membership of over 9 million members in 70 countries worldwide, the majority of whom depend on agriculture for a living. ACWW’s aims are to improve the standard of living of women, their families and communities through a world-wide network of advocacy and grass roots projects. ACWW is active in sustainable development projects, in agricultural training and development, micro credit/ income generation, nutrition and health issues including HIV/ AIDS prevention and education, literacy, environmental issues, and access to clean water and sanitation. ACWW has held consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) since 1947. World Rural Women's Day and World Food Day are celebrated annually by ACWW Member Societies worldwide. Although agriculture is generally perceived to be a male occupation women produce more than 50% of all food grown (55% in the developing world and approximately 80% in Africa)i yet they have little or no access to the decision-making and ownership of community projects. ACWW, as one of the initiators of World Rural Women's Day in 1995, urges governments, United Nations Agencies and donor organisations to recognize the tremendous potential and expertise that women have in the field of food production and thus towards the achievement of world food security. ACWW believes that if world food security is to be assured, traditionally marginalised women farmers and rural women must be fully integrated into the mainstream of production in order to ensure agricultural sustainability. They must be given access to land, credit, technology, training and agricultural extension services. Women today are leading very different lives to that of their mothers and grandmothers. Increasingly they face the challenge of the responsibility for household income and food production, in addition to child raising, food preparation, fuel and water gathering, and the care of the sick and elderly. Despite the robust growth in the world economy the problems of hunger and poverty still remain. Many people around the world still go to bed hungry, wake up without hope and exist day by day without any prospects of a better quality of life. ACWW believes that there is an urgent need to: · Initiate a global plan to improve agriculture for the benefit of all which should include food production, biological agriculture (reduction in the use of pesticides), energy use, water management (conservation, irrigation, recycling), improved technology (growing crops to improve soil quality and give high yields), formation of land conservation groups, diversity of agricultural crops, food storage and distribution, seed banks; · Ensure that social and economic advancement for rural women is promoted within the framework of all national plans; · Mobilise political will at all levels to target rural women as participants and beneficiaries of all policies, programmes and development projects; · Create opportunities for rural women to assume leadership positions, involve them in decision making with regard to the spending of funds, give them ownership of community projects; · Consider food security as a common concern to be achieved through an integrated approach by all governments, agencies, donors and NGOS Hunger and poverty are not the only challenges we face in today's world. The advances of humankind over the centuries have spawned other problems too. The greatest challenge of all is that of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic - a huge threat for large scale human destruction and misery. It is difficult to grasp the enormity of the situation but there is an urgent need to further highlight the issue - the innocent victims are the children - some inherit it at birth through mother to child transmission ... in many countries traditional and customary practices that subordinate women in the household and community, render those women vulnerable and yet they have little or no access to even the most minimal of health care when they become infected. HIV/AIDS is a huge issue for the future well being of the girl child. Child prostitution, a leading HIV factor often grows out of a family's need for the very basic resources of food and shelter for other family members. Incest, and male to child transmission is growing, through the belief by some men that young virgins will cure them. Victims of both sexes and all ages become stigmatised and ostracised, and once they are infected are often subjected to physical violence. As a result of HIV/AIDS more than 13 million orphaned children are living on the most meagre of resources ii. Women’s organisations at all levels have opportunities and responsibilities to help to contain and to resolve the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and must use their lobbying power to make governments aware of the negative impact of HIV/AIDS and how it impinges on development efforts, whether it is government led or NGO led. Alarmed by the accelerating spread and impact of the AIDS crisis, in November 2000 the United Nations General Assembly called for a Special Session on HIV/AIDS to be held on June 25-27 2001 at the highest political level in order to combat the epidemic and to mobilise resources world-wide to that end. The shortness of the preparatory period for such a major international event was unprecedented. It resulted in the need for equally urgent responses from those wishing to act. The subsequent Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS is wide ranging and builds on hard won progress made at recent world meetings concerning the rights, status, health and well-being of women and girls including commitments made on HIV/AIDS. Prevention is the main thrust of the document and a target set for 2006 calls for a 20% reduction in the number of children born HIV positive. Provision of effective treatment for inflicted women aims to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV and thereby the number of these children by 50% in 2011. Discussion at the 45th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in March 2001 confirmed that the proportion of women with HIV is increasing; while teenage girls are infected at a rate 5 or 6 times higher than their male counterparts. In areas of greatest need, traditional attitudes and practices and poverty combine to ensure that women and girls are not in a position to secure safe sex nor, once infected, receive appropriate care and support. Implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS depends on action and coordination of effort by governments, the UN system and by people everywhere. Clearly women's organisations at all levels have particular opportunities and responsibilities in these regards. Bearing in mind the urgency of the world wide AIDS epidemic, its rapid acceleration and devastating effects, ACWW strongly supports the outcomes of the UN General Assembly, Special Session on HIV/AIDS held 25th – 27th June 2001, and the UN Millennium Summit Declaration of September 2000. At the last three ACWW Triennial World Conferences in New Zealand 1995, South Africa 1998 and Canada 2001, Resolutions on HIV/AIDS were unanimously accepted. ACWW and its Member Societies, within their respective programmes, have thus pledged to do their utmost to work towards securing the full implementation by governments and by society of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and its accompanying targets. ACWW stresses the value of a human rights based approach to the AIDS pandemic bearing in mind existing factors of gender discrimination and exploitation which make women, female adolescents and the girl child the most vulnerable victims of this cruel disease. ACWW will continue to promote HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, treatment, care and support and stresses the urgent need for the provision of adequate resources to enable local access for all, including those who live in rural areas, to HIV/AIDS counselling, health and welfare facilities and services. A huge challenge but one which must be addressed in order to achieve “Peace for Rural Women to achieve Food Security”. i- Rural Women and Food Security, UN FPA 2000 page 5 ii- Women & HIV/AIDS Prevention Report AWH 2000, page 13 INFORMATION · Poverty and inequality between men and women is driving the HIV/AIDS epidemic. · Most men, however poor, can chose when, with whom and with what protection to have sex. Most women cannot. · More than 13 million children have been orphaned by AIDS.600,000 infants are infected every year through mother-to-child transmission. · Governments need to be aware of the negative impact of HIV/AIDS on development efforts. · AIDS has decimated the ranks of farmers and teachers in many African countries. · Strong national plans and community participation can reverse spiraling infection.