The first International Day of Rural Women was observed on 15 October 2008. This new international day, established by the General Assembly in its resolution 62/136 of 18 December 2007, recognizes “the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.”

At the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 it was suggested that 15 October be celebrated as “World Rural Women’s Day,” the eve of World Food Day, in order to highlight the role played by rural women in food production and food security. “World Rural Women’s Day” has been celebrated, primarily by civil society, across the world for over a decade.

Since its establishment more than 60 years ago, the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) has worked on the issue of rural women. In recent years, the primary attention to rural women has been on a biennial basis in the context of the General Assembly, under the agenda item in the Third Committee and through the consideration of women in development in the Second Committee. The Commission on the Status of Women also includes attention to rural women in relation to the priority themes under consideration.  To commemorate the first observation of the International Day of Rural Women, DAW launched a publication in its Women 2000 and Beyond Series – entitled “Rural women in a changing world: Opportunities and challenges.” This publication focuses specifically on the situation of rural women in developing countries in the context of changes in the rural economy.

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 functions in caring for children, older persons and the sick.

Today, on the second commemoration of the International Day of Rural Women, we recognize the important contributions of rural women, including indigenous women, to sustainable development and the sound management of natural resources.

We highlight these accomplishments in a year that also marks the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which is the only international human rights treaty that specifically addresses the rights of rural women. The Convention calls on all States parties to ensure that women fully participate in rural development; have access to health care, social security programmes, training, education, credit and loans; and benefit equally from infrastructure investments such as sanitation, water, transport and communications.

Sadly, rural women in many parts of the world continue to face severe deprivation in enjoying these rights.  They are among those hit hardest by the inadequate rate of progress in improving maternal health.  They have limited access to live-saving resources such as drinking water, electricity and roads.  Too many rural women and girls are not in school.  And they lack equitable access to decision-making processes, meaning that their voices are not heard.

As the global economic crisis continues to unfold, let us commit to increasing investments in the resources, infrastructure and services which would ease rural women’s workloads and release their time and energy for engagement in the labour market and public life.

As we near the UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen in December, let us make sure that rural women are part of the process and that the outcome addresses their contributions, priorities and needs.

And as the United Nations itself seeks to strengthen its work to empower women around the world, let us move swiftly to get the new, single gender equality entity agreed by the General Assembly up and running.

On this International Day, let us pledge to do our utmost to put the rights, needs and aspirations of rural women much higher on the global agenda.

For more details go to: www.un.org/en/events/ruralwomenday