PRESS RELEASE: International Day of Rural Women
15th October 2019
KAMPALA, UGANDA
The International Day of Rural Women was established by the General Assembly in its resolution 62/136 of 18 December 2007 to recognise the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty. This day is commemorated every 15th of October, a day before World Food Day. Recognising that rural women make up almost 75 per cent of the agriculture labour force but continue to face critical challenge related to productive resources, decision making, man-made calamities among others that hinders their social and economic development. There is need to increase public awareness on the real custodians of rural economies because women significantly contribute towards food security, improved nutrition, poverty alleviation, economic growth and environmental conservation.
ESAFF Uganda will use this day to appreciate and celebrate the contribution of rural women in promoting agroecological agriculture and amplifying the commitment of world leaders towards eradicating worldwide hunger and as well the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets.
ESAFF Uganda, therefore, calls on the government to promote the consultation with and the participation of rural women in policy processes. The government should fund and implement laws, policies, programmes and strategies that promote gender equality and rural development instead of those that promote women exploitation, land grabbing and seed control by a handful of multinationals hence increasing poverty in rural areas.
ESAFF Uganda also calls on women small scale farmers, men champions, local leaders, media and opinion leaders to come into a social movement to increase their voices on issues that affect rural women and end the injustice.
Media Contact:
Ms. Nancy Walimbwa Mugimba
National Coordinator
Email: nmugimba@esaffuganda.org
Facebook/Twitter/Youtube: ESAFF Uganda
Website: https://esaffuganda.org/
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