Investing in rural women: a moral imperative, a strategic investment and a pathway to sustainable development

In Europe's rural communities, the silent struggle for equality and opportunity for young women is still ongoing. On 22 November, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a debate on gender equality and youth in rural areas during the meeting of its Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment. The event is in line with the EESC's commitment to the Rural Pact and the European Gender Equality Week.

Empowering young women in rural areas is a collective responsibility. Governments, civil society organisations and the private sector must work together to create an enabling environment for them. This includes investing in education and skills development, providing access to finance and technology, and promoting inclusive policies that address gender-based discrimination and empower women to participate fully in all aspects of rural life.

According to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), women in rural areas are 14% to 34% less likely to own land than men. They are also more likely to be employed in low-paying, informal jobs, earning on average 24% less than their male counterparts. This gender gap in agricultural productivity is estimated to cost developing countries up to $2 trillion each year.

Furthermore, young women in rural areas face higher rates of violence than their urban counterparts. According to a study by the World Health Organization, one in three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual violence, with a disproportionately high burden on young women in rural settings.

Martha Osorio and Ileana Grandelis, representatives of FAO, highlighted the significance of the Committee on World Food Security's Voluntary Guidelines on Gender Equality and Women's and Girls' Empowerment in the context of food security and nutrition, emphasising the need to tackle the root causes of gender inequality.

The challenges faced by young women in rural areas are multidimensional. Discrimination and marginalisation pervade their daily lives, limiting their access to education, employment and decision making. Societal norms often restrict them to traditional gender roles, stifling their aspirations and hindering their pursuit of personal and professional fulfilment. 

Desirée De La Caridad Nieves, runner-up in the COPA-COGECA Woman Innovation Awards 2023, provided insight from the perspective of a rural woman farmer and called for collective efforts to improve the position of women in the agricultural sector.

Blanca Casares, from European Association for Innovation in Local Development (AEIDL), discussed community-led innovations as a way to empower rural women and presented the Grass Ceiling project aimed at increasing the number of socio-ecological innovations led by women in rural communities.

Anja Fortuna, from the Slovenian Rural Youth Association, presented the TERA project which focuses on strengthening the role of youth work among young farmers. The study's findings are alarming, indicating disparities in workload and leisure time, and a high incidence of violence against women in rural areas.

The data are clear: empowering young women in rural areas is not just a moral obligation: it's also a strategic investment in a more equitable and sustainable future. Addressing gender-based inequalities is needed to safeguard women's fundamental rights and unleash their potential to transform communities and revitalise rural areas.