UN Women, FAO, WFP and IFAD, in partnership with the governments of Canada and the USA, organized a Side Event entitled ‘Accelerating Progress toward the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women’, 15 October 2012, during the CFS. It was moderated by Ms. Gerda Verburg, Ambassador of the Netherlands. The panelists were composed of: Minister for Women, Children and Youth, Zenebu Tadesse of Ethopia; Ms. Lani Eugenia, Secretary General of the Indonesian Farmers and Fishers Society Organization; and Ms. Tehmina Janjua, Ambassador of Pakistan.
Maris Gavino, WOCAN Liaison for Rome, gave a solo intervention from the floor that was applauded by the participants. She focused on needed support of multistakeholders to civil society organizations and women organizations in decision making and implementation of policies and programs on climate change. The feedback was that it was succinct and direct to the point. Please see the attached statement for WOCAN.
The Side Event was an occasion to launch a Joint Program of the UN Women, FAO, WFP, and IFAD. The objective was to give a more comprehensive UN system response in support of rural women’s economic empowerment. It is a 5-year program that will be implemented in Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kyrgystan, Liberia, Nepal, Niger and Rwanda. The intention is to generate more lasting and wider scale improvements in the livelihoods and rights of rural women, including young women.