International Day of Rural Women 2023

According to the International Labour Organization, women make up more than 40% of the agricultural labour force in the global south, but less than 15% of land owners worldwide are women. In some countries, over 50% of girls from financially disadvantaged rural households will be married as children. Women living in rural areas contribute to a substantial portion of the labour force, including care, reproductive, domestic and unpaid work, but resource management, food security, and water sanitation all impact rural women disproportionately.

In Canada, 2.8 million women live in rural areas. Rural women report poorer health, due to limited access to health services, and are at higher risk of gender-based violence. While Indigenous women are custodians of traditional knowledge in the management of natural resources, they are also overrepresented in very remote locations, with Ontario having the largest population. Job security also becomes a factor, as rural women are more likely to engage in precarious labour in comparison to their urban counterparts.

October 15th is the International Day of Rural Women. Women make large contributions to the rural economy but frequently suffer from poor working conditions, lack of social benefits, under-recognized value and fewer opportunities for education. Moreover, accessibility becomes an almost insurmountable challenge, as travel and transportation are often too costly. Rural women want for security with respect to health, training, and physical safety.

Addressing gender inequities and providing women with the same access to education and labour opportunities can only lead to economic and social growth. Fair wages, childcare, affordable and adequate housing, agricultural assets and resources (eg. fertilizers, equipment, land, etc.), financial aid, government policies and community support would all play a role in minimizing discrimination and exclusion, as well as safeguarding the security of women. It is vital to ensure that women in general, and rural women in particular, are empowered to make contributions and that they are valued for their labour. As in all other sectors and industries, the world must take a gender equitable approach in order to address the different needs of all individuals.

The impacts of the climate crisis are drastic and the agricultural sector has been particularly affected. Women play a crucial role in the support and promotion of food security from farm to table, and it is essential to defend their basic rights to health, safety, economic stability and social welfare. Without supporting women, food poverty and soaring agricultural prices will continue to be a challenge around the world, keeping many of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN out of reach.

---

International Labour Organization. (2018, March 8). Introduction Key challenges rural women face at work. ILO. Retrieved October 11, 2023, from https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---protrav/---ilo_aids/documents/publication/wcms_619691.pdf

Leclerc, K. (2021, September 20). Studies on Gender and Intersecting Identities Portrait of Women by the Relative Remoteness of their Communities, Series 1: Sociodemographic Profile. Statistique Canada. Retrieved October 11, 2023, from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-20-0002/452000022021001-eng.htm

Status of Women Canada. (n.d.). UNCWS - Profile of Canadian women in rural, remote and Northern communities. Retrieved October 11, 2023, from https://swc-cfc.gc.ca/abu-ans/wwad-cqnf/wnc-fcn/profile-eng.pdf