The event took place for the first time at the UN FAO (Farming and Agricultural Organisation) Headquarters in Rome, with the presentation and launch of SOFA: The State of  Food and  Agriculture 2010-2011. The report was presented by the Division Gender, Equity and Rural Employment, whose director is Mrs. Marcela Villarreal. To read the report, click here.

The FAO is a specialised agency with a mandate to help raise levels of nutrition, improve agricultural productivity, improve the lives of rural populations and contribute to world economic growth. FAO works to serve its member countries to reduce chronic hunger and developing world food and agriculture sectors.

The main issue at this IWD event was ”closing the gender gap in agriculture”, and the discussion was moderated by  Zeinab Badawi, News Anchor at the BBC World News. The speakers were very interesting and their speeches were relevant. Among others there was the South African Ambassador, a professor of economics at the University of Delhi, a representative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and also Ann Tutwiler, first woman Deputy Director-General of FAO.

When the discussion started, part of the position of SI on the vital role of rural women within the agricultural sector was read:

“I am  the representative of Soroptimist International; thank you for giving me the floor. SI is a member of the Ad hoc group of the International NGOs that have representatives in

Rome for many years. I would like to announce that the Group, as an experienced observer at plenary meetings, is preparing a Side Event during the FAO Conference in June [on rural women and agriculture].

Investing in small scale farming, particularly through women, is a vital step towards meeting the challenges of food production in the future. Governments are not living up to their international commitment to protect women from discrimination, as the gap between de jure equality and de facto discrimination persists (2010 OHCHR).

Rural women still find it more difficult to get access to a range of resources such as credit, land, agricultural inputs and extensions with obvious consequences for their food security. Land ownership is a particular issue for women. Furthermore, it is important to understand the influence of social factors such as local inheritance traditions/law and marital status which favour men over women.

The situation in many developing countries is that a woman cannot inherit land separate from her father, brother or husband, or she can be evicted with little or no legal protection. This still persists. Fundamental institutional changes are required if the position of rural women is to be permanently improved“.

Marcela Villarreal congratulated SI.

There were video statements by Hillary Clinton, Jacobo Regalado, Minister of Agriculture of the

Honduras, and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia. The event concluded by honouring rural women for whom FAO highlights the theme “Empowering  women, feeding  humanity”.

Cinzia was also interviewed by local press about her role at the FAO.

"One of the duties of an SI Rep is to disseminate among the clubs what we do in each agency. As the SI rep for the FAO in Rome, I collect all the information and guidelines coming from the FAO and bring them to our members so that they can make use of the information in their projects. SI is an important partner to the FAO. They know our projects are a success."

Reported by Cinzia Palmi

SI Representative at FAO