South Region: Nkolandom to host int’l rural women day celebration.

The information was made known recently. This was during the first preparatory meeting ahead of the event, chaired by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Moussa Haoudou. 

It was attended by some social partners. Focus was to discuss the event's logistics and significance. 

Haoudou said this year’s theme: “Rural Women and Import Substitution: Opportunity and Challenge”, underlines the critical role rural women play in the country’s food security, economic development, and alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, particularly in eliminating hunger, promoting gender equality and fostering sustainable growth.

The official used the meeting to highlight the essential role of rural women in the country’s economic and social sector. 

“Rural women are the backbone of our economy and society. We must support them and give them the means to contribute fully to our country's development,” Haoudou said.

He noted that the ceremony will be officially launched on October 8, 2024, at the Central Regional Delegation of Women’s Empowerment and the Family to kick off a week of events aimed at celebrating and empowering rural women across the country

Haoudou disclosed that activities during the celebration will feature exhibition and sale of local products during which rural women will showcase their agricultural and artisanal output and this will offer them a platform to promote their goods and increase market access.

He said it will also feature a coffee-debate which will offer a forum for discussions around the theme of the celebration, focusing on the challenges and opportunities faced by rural women, especially in the context of agricultural development and entrepreneurship.

Haoudou added that the celebration will be crowned with the award of prizes to best rural project. The objective, he said, is aimed at encouraging innovation among rural women while recognising and rewarding the most promising projects in agriculture, trade, and local entrepreneurship.

Rural Women backbone of agricultural dev’t

Speaking during the meeting, the official noted that rural women account for 48% of agricultural employment in low-income countries and are at the heart of agricultural production, food security and nutrition.

He regretted that despite this, rural women face numerous challenges, including limited access to productive resources, services and markets. 

Haoudou said this year’s theme highlights both the opportunities and obstacles rural women face in import substitution, particularly in reducing reliance on foreign imports and promoting local production.

The International Day of Rural Women, it should be noted, was established by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 62/136 of December 18, 2007. It was created with the need to recognise the role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3249 of Friday October 04, 2024