« What rights for women as rural citizens? »
A MESSAGE FROM KAREN SERRES
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON WOMEN FARMERS
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS
Defending rural women’s rights and fighting all forms of discrimination is vitally important. Female citizens in rural areas are veritable pillars of society. On this October 15, women farmers of IFAP wish to encourage action that will promote equal opportunity for the rural woman and launch a real attack on every type of discrimination and violence she suffers.
Rural women are full-fledged citizens, with both rights and duties. They unwaveringly shoulder those duties in assuming multiple roles: they are managers of the family unit for nutrition, education, and health; generation of agricultural and non-agricultural income; producers of half the world’s food. They are the bedrock of rural society. But what rights do these citizens enjoy?
All too often, women remain the victims of discrimination with regard to education, training, jobs, health care, mental and physical abuse, rape in times of war, and other affronts. Geographical isolation only exacerbates the vulnerability of us rural women to such crimes.
We call on governments to ensure compliance with existing legislation that protects the effective equality of rural women under the law, and urge them to revise any legislation that fails to contribute to that goal. We stand united worldwide to claim the same rights as the rest of society, and we are determined to gain them. We categorically reject second-class citizenship! We uphold the right of every person in every circumstance to have her physical, mental, and moral integrity respected.
It goes without saying that the rights of rural women are respected quite differently in different countries. The level of discrimination targeting women varies considerably as well. As citizens, this concerns us all. We must mobilize resolutely the world over to ensure compliance with our rights today for the sake of future generations.
The accompanying document offers a number of recommendations and proposals of actions to advance that result. Don’t hesitate to endorse and adapt them! Each one of us in our respective contexts can make a difference in the lives of rural women by tailoring the proposed actions to their actual needs.
We recognize that women legitimately claim the right to full-fledged citizenship. Wherever we may be, let us be proud of the work of rural women and cognizant of the service we render society. Awareness is the first step towards genuine equal opportunity for every rural woman in the world. Join together in building a better future! Let us celebrate!