Rural women are unbreakable. Progressio works with rural women all over the world who take on a critical role in their communities. These women make up a huge proportion of the people Progressio works with to enhance rural development, improve food security and eradicate rural poverty. That's why we're celebrating International Day of Rural Women.
Rural women often take a leading responsibility in producing crops, caring for livestock, providing food, water and fuel for their families, and engaging in off-farm activities to diversify their families’ livelihoods. On top of this, rural women also care for children, older people and the sick.
Progressio has been tackling gender inequality for decades. You can read about our work with rural women here. Throughout our in country programmatic work we have learnt time and time again that women are the vital ingredient for development. Giving women the tools for empowerment is a catalyst like no other that can change the lives of many in some of the poorest communities in the world.
We’re not the first to recognise the importance of rural women, below are some stats from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and Farming First.
What the infographic tells us is that we need to do more for rural women. It is clear that they take on the lion’s share of the burden in their communities to provide for their families, and yet they are excluded from markets, from productive resources and from owning and inheriting land in many countries in the world. There is still work to do to enable rural women to break this cycle of marginalisation and to become active, equal citizens.
Today Progressio is raising the profile of their hard work and you can take part in our #ThanksForDinner campaign to raise awareness about how much of our daily food comes from rural women.
To get involved, all you need to do is…
1. Prepare a meal
2. Take a picture of yourself with it
3. Tweet it and put it on Facebook with #ThanksForDinner and #RuralWomen anytime on Wednesday 15 October
Make sure you tag us so we know you've done it!
