Editorial
The International Day of Rural Women is celebrated on October 15 every year to recognize rural women’s critical role in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.
The idea of celebrating this day was proposed during the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, in 1995, and the United Nations General Assembly officially declared it in its resolution 62/136 on December 18, 2007.
Rural women account for a substantial proportion of the agricultural labour force, including informal work, and perform the bulk of unpaid care and domestic work within families and households in rural areas. They significantly contribute to agricultural production, food security and nutrition, land and natural resource management, and building climate resilience.
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However, rural women face multiple challenges and discrimination regarding land and livestock ownership, equal pay, participation in decision-making entities, and access to resources, credit and market. They also suffer disproportionately from multi-dimensional poverty, food insecurity, malnutrition, energy poverty, gender-based violence, child marriage, and lack of education and health services.
The theme for the International Day of Rural Women in 2023 is “Rural women confront the global cost-of-living crisis”, which highlights the impact of the war in Ukraine on the food and energy markets and the resulting threats to women’s livelihoods, health and well-being.
The International Day of Rural Women aims to raise awareness of the situation and needs of rural women, celebrate their achievements and contributions, and advocate for their empowerment and inclusion in all aspects of rural development. Therefore, the day also has a symbolic value for the developing and agricultural countries in the world. Pakistan should also implement the spirit of the day in the agriculture sector in Pakistan. Pakistan is primarily an agricultural country, and the rural population is attached to the farming profession in Pakistan. Moreover, the female population in Pakistan’s villages is also significantly connected to the rural economy. Therefore, the spirit of the day requires Pakistani society and state to uplift the rural women’s potential in the rural economy.
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