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Ban: Investing in rural women is a smart investment for nations
09.03.2012 08:12 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) —
Rural women can improve the well-being of entire societies if given equal access to resources and set free from discrimination.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made the remarks on International Women’s Day 2012.
Investing in rural women is a smart investment in a nation’s development, Mr. Ban said.
«They make up one quarter of the population yet they routinely figure at the bottom of every economic, social and political indicator from income, education, health to participation in decision-making. They perform most of the unpaid care work in rural areas and they are a major part of the agricultural labour force. Rural women number almost half a billion of small holder farmers and land lease workers. If they had equal access to productive resources, agricultural yields would rise, relieving as many as 150 million people from hunger,» stated Mr. Ban.
Ban said it was «unacceptable» that women farmers receive only 5 per cent of agricultural extension services.
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