Women’s empowerment in the context of food security and nutrition
This report (PDF) was presented in preparation for the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Forum on Women’s Empowerment in the context of Food Security and Nutrition. This forum brought together a wide range of stakeholders to discuss the challenges that remain in realizing women’s empowerment and to promote a shared understanding of the need to achieve gender equality and the full realization of women’s rights in the context of food security and nutrition. The structure of this background document mirrors the expected outcomes and seeks to support the Forum’s discussions by providing a context analysis, a thematic review of the challenges and examples of how they can be addressed, and key learnings and policy considerations. Four main thematic areas are identified as highly relevant in the context of the agriculture and agrifood sector: 1) Women’s participation in decision-making, public policies, partnerships and leadership roles; 2) Women’s access to and control over land, natural resources, inputs and productive tools; 3) Women’s access to decent working conditions and adequate wages; and 4) Women’s capacities to access markets. For each of these themes the challenges to women’s empowerment as well as strategies that seek to overcome these challenges are discussed. This report (PDF) discusses the outcomes of the Forum. It shows that CFS should recognize that achieving food security and nutrition is not possible without the realization of women’s rights and empowerment. Recognition of the right to adequate food and the principle of food sovereignty; support to women’s grass-root organizations and political will at the country level were mentioned as priority actions. Strong collaboration among the Rome Based Agencies was also mentioned.