April, 14th, 2019 at 8:08 pm
Hey there Women in Rural! Thanks for finding the blog, quick note – this is a little more serious than what we’ve posted in the past, but we think it’s a great way to start a discussion about impacts women have in our rural economies and how we can better support this demographic in ways we haven’t even thought of yet!
Rural women – who make up more than a quarter of the world’s total population – are underserved, from Montana to Mozambique.
But empowering them benefits everyone. When women have access to land, there are improvements in household welfare and agricultural productivity. It is estimated that if women farmers had access to the same resources as men, there could be 150 million fewer hungry people through the rise in output.
However, that doesn’t mean that this isn’t changing. There have been a variety of programs developed through international organizations such as the World Bank and even the UN. This year’s UN Commission on the Status of Women has as its priority theme the empowerment of rural women and girls. And, around the world, there are a number of new innovations and policy solutions targeting this often neglected group.
We hear you, this sounds like a LOT, especially since most of us reading this are sitting in our small communities anywhere from Colorado to Montana. However the theme still fits, how can Women in Rural drive an impact of change by empowering women in rural communities everywhere. We’ve compiled a list of three ways women can empower women within rural communities around the world (an ambitious thought right?).
Women are primarily vulnerable to every form of health issues in different communities. They face all forms of health challenges. They are the bearers of the epidemics of deadly communicable diseases. There is a high rate of maternal and infant mortality, HIV/Aid and other lethal diseases that are sprouting by the second around the world. Their effects are worse in rural communities, and rural women are major recipients. Individuals, organization, and agencies can design projects that focus on providing affordable health care and training for women on healthy living, getting and taking clean water, keeping the clean and green environment and access to basic monthly menstrual care and maternal care. An average rural woman faces a threat of maternal death. When we work together to create and provide health facilities for women, we will be contributing to the safety of a quarter of the world’s population.
Cooperative learning and social groups contribute to the growth and empowerment of women. When women find themselves in a supportive group of like minds in their community and are encouraged to have the open discussion about the challenges they are facing with a system of accountability and responsibility among members, it leads to personal and group growth. One of the primary things I have done consistently in the development of rural women is mentorship. I have mentored about 30 women who have come to be very successful in their endeavors. If we can create platforms for rural women mentorship and development in different communities around the world, it will go far to help empower women to be confident, powerful and resourceful to live up to their true potentials speaking and advocating for their equality and justice for others.
Rural women are consistently looking for different avenues to access microloans, Farming tools, business management and operational tools. A woman who has committed herself to work will do more and multiply her efforts if she has access to basic tools for effectiveness and productivity. Project or program designs focus on women empowerment should be that which helps women access interest-free loans, basic business tools and farm equipment. One of the keys to creating multipliers effect an increase in the building of sustainable small businesses in communities is to help women have access to basic facilitating tools for their daily engagement.