Women making great contribution to social progress -Ban Ki Moon
UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in a message to mark International
Day of Rural Women which falls today October 15, 2011
"This year's International Day of Rural Women, falls at a time of
awareness of the contribution women are making to social progress. Women
have been rightly recognized for their role in supporting movements for
democracy, human rights and peace. Their contribution to sustainable
development too is equally significant.
"Study after study has demonstrated that rural women are pivotal to
addressing hunger, malnutrition and poverty. They are the farmers and
nurturers, the entrepreneurs and educators, the healers and helpers who
can contribute to food security and economic growth in the world's most
remote and vulnerable settings.
"Despite the heavy responsibility rural women shoulder, they lack
equal access to opportunities and resources. This hampers their
advancement and holds all people back. More than 100 million people
could be lifted out of poverty if rural women had the same access to
productive resources as men, according to the United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organization. Productivity on women's farms would increase
up to 30 percent. The number of hungry people would drop by as much as
17 percent - an impact that translates into improvements for as many as
150 million individuals. The benefits would reverberate even further as
these women's children gain better access to health services, education
and nutrition.
"We know how to achieve these gains: Invest in rural women. Eliminate
discrimination against them in law and in practice. Ensure that policies
respond to their needs. Give them equal access to resources. Provide
rural women with a role in decision making.
"These measures will help drive sustainable development - one of the
great imperatives of the 21st century. As we prepare for the United
Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, to be held next year in
Rio, let us remember that rural women have enormous untapped potential
to generate results.
"On this International Day, I call on all partners to recognize the
contribution of rural women to our world and to help them do even more
for our shared future". |