World Rural Women's Day

Each October, organisations in various countries plan activities that reflect specific local priorities and traditions. Events might include a national parade through the capital city with banners and music, a workshop focussing on an issue of special concern to rural women, a village fair, a stand on the main street, a sale of foodstuffs or handicrafts, or a play featuring songs that draw attention to women's contribution to sustainable development.

The WWSF urges participants to actively publicise the activities they plan in celebration of World Rural Women's Day. For instance, publications, electronic networks, press conferences, and exhibitions are suggested means to communicate messages about women and their work. This media outreach is meant to supplement the WWSF's yearly Open Letter to Rural Women of the World highlighting that year's particular theme. In 2001, the theme was "Protect your traditional knowledge"; the 2002 theme was "Claim your right to safe water". Twenty thousand posters and open letters featuring that year's theme are mailed to NGOs, development organisations, human rights groups, and the media.

The WWSF also urges participating organisations to collaborate with "sister organisations", other women's groups with whom they might host a joint event to reinforce each other's efforts. For example, a panel discussion featuring rural women's NGOs might be organised to provide a forum for presentation of projects, discussion of needs, and exploration of best practices. Political activism is also encouraged. WWSF suggests that participants write a letter to their Minister of Agriculture or Prime Minster drawing attention to the contributions and problems facing rural women in a particular country.

Women, Agriculture.

Programme organisers site the following figures to support their claim that rural women play a major role in ensuring food security and in the development and stability of rural areas around the world: Rural women comprise more than one quarter of the total world population; 500 million women live below the poverty line in rural areas. In addition, women produce 60-80% of basic foodstuffs in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, perform over 50% of the labour involved in intensive rice cultivation in Asia, conduct 30% of the agricultural work in industrialised countries, and process 100% of basic household foodstuffs in Africa. However, organisers claim, rural women have little or no status and thus frequently lack the power to secure land rights or to access vital services such as credit, inputs, extension, training, and education. Their contribution to society goes largely unnoticed.