JOBURG – Forget not the role that rural women play in the global economy.
Tomorrow is International Day of Rural Women, which celebrates women who – according to the United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women – are key agents for achieving the transformational economic, environmental and social changes required for sustainable development.
The day is observed annually on 15 October since 2008, established by the General Assembly.
In a statement, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said the day is an occasion to focus on challenges, while putting a spotlight on the many contributions of the world’s rural women.
“Often responsible for difficult work in homes and fields, too many rural women are denied the land, credit and other resources they deserve. This undermines their ability to care for their children and contribute to their communities,” Ban said.
”As we enter the final push to reach the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and craft a universal vision for development in the long-range future, let us focus on investing in rural women as agents of progress,” he added.
Share your views on how you will be commemorating International Day of Rural Women, and who you would like to acknowledge on the day.
Details: United Nations www.un.org
