The International Day of Rural Women last Saturday (October 15), followed by World Food Day yesterday (October 16), and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty today (October 17), were all established to raise awareness of issues related to the SDGs.

Women in rural areas play a major role in agricultural production, food security, and land conservation and management. They have also played an important role in ensuring and improving the sustainability of their communities. Despite this, their status in rural areas is low and many live in poverty. Although women farmers contribute to agricultural and business activities in the same way as men, they often have limited access to land, finance, agricultural inputs, markets, and high-value added agri-food value chains, and in many cases are underpaid for their produce.

Underlying this are social norms that still constrain the involvement of rural women in decision-making and political participation. Access to productive assets, education, healthcare, infrastructure, etc. is also impeded, while their labor is often not visible or paid for.

As stated in the theme of this year's World Food Day, "Leave NO ONE behind," improving the environment surrounding rural women can contribute not only to poverty alleviation, but also to sustainable development.

International Day of Rural Women
https://www.un.org/en/observances/rural-women-day

World Food Day 2022
https://www.fao.org/world-food-day/en 

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-for-eradicating-poverty 

Contributor: IIYAMA Miyuki (Information Program)