Rural women play a critical role in the rural economies of both developed and developing countries. In most parts of the developing world they participate in crop production and livestock care, provide food, water and fuel for their families, and engage in off-farm activities to diversify their families’ livelihoods.In addition, they carry out vital reproductive functions in caring for children, older persons and the sick. (Rural women in a changing world: opportunities and challenges, 2008)Rural women are not a homogeneous group, there are important differences among women in rural areas based on class, age, marital status, ethnic background, race and religion. There are also major differences according to regions, countries and even within countries, as such the issues facing rural women are also not hemogeneousRural women are described as always poor, pregnant and persecuted and are also discriminated against, they face problems and chanllenges such as :
- Economic derivation they do not have the education and skills to engage in economic activities
- Sexual harassment and rape with family compromise that stifle the full consequences of the law
- Depraved of their basic human rights such as access to land and property, inheritance right, access to basic health services and resources
- Health facilities are inaccessible in terms of distance and cost
- Ambulance services are virtually nonexistent
- No access to specialist services including diagnostic and advanced laboratory services or specialized medical personnel, all of these factors contribute to the three delays namely; delay in accessing health services, in decision making and transportation delay, as such they are faced with grave health complications
- They lack access to basic education
- Very limited access to capital and credit
- Food insecurity
- Climate change
- Cultural and traditional laws that are gender bias
It is important to address these issues from a gender equality perspective.In the Millennium Declaration, adopted in September 2000, Governments committed to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women as effective ways to combat poverty, hunger and disease and to stimulate development that is truly sustainable. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were subsequently developed, provide a subset of goals, targets and indicators from the global conferences and summits of the 1990s, including the goal to half poverty by 2015. The 8 MDGs are particularly relevant for reducing poverty among rural women in developing countries.MDG 3 is specifically focused on the achievement of gender equality and empowerment of women, with targets on education, health and political participation.Women in rural areas can be actors in and beneficiaries of the achievement of other goals, such as MDG 1, on reducing poverty and hunger; MDG 2, which aims for universal primary education; and MDGs 4 and 5, which focus on children’s and maternal health. MDG 7, on environmental sustainability, is also critical for rural women as users and custodians of natural resources.The situation of rural women could be made much better if governments can ensure the following:
- Improve equitable access to land esp. for agricultural use and enforce the right to own and inherit land and property
- Improve access to health and educational services
- Involve women in decision making at all levels
- Ensure the rights and security of women
- Enforce property and inheritance rights
- Address cultural and social differences that limit access to land and property ownership
- Improve access to capital and credit
- Promote access to food security and rural agricultural development
- Promote access to gainful employment
- Enhancing the role of rural women at all levels and in all aspects of rural development, agriculture, nutrition and food security
- Improve access to water supply, transport and communication
- Improve rural women access to aquaculture
- Enforce laws against environmental degradation and deforestation
- Eradicate all forms of discrimination and violence against women