Following the 4th World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP), the World Summit Foundation for Women, and the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) proposed to devote, one day in the year, to rural women for the purpose of highlighting their contributions, not often recognised in the entire world, to food security and development in the rural world.
Due to key role played by women in production, management and the consumption of foodstuffs and natural resources, the Day of 15 October, eve of the World Food Day, was retained by the United Nations to that effect
OBJECTIVE:
Global Objective:
Promoting the improvement of the living conditions of rural women by all means.
Specific Objectives:
Advocate for the improvement of rural women’s living and working conditions.
Focus the attention of the national opinion on rural women’s contribution to development.
Pay hommage to the rural woman for her merits.
Convince rural women to become conscious of the catalysing role they play in promoting food security.
Support and recognise rural women’s contribution to achieving food security and sustainable development.
Mobilise national and international political forces in favour of rural women so that the latter should be the direct beneficiaries of all grassroot development programmes and projects.
Various celebrations
To date, six editions of the World Rural Women’s Day have been celebrated:
In 1996 the first edition was a significant opportunity making proposals and boosting solidarity in favour of the rural woman.
In 1997 the second edition had as theme: “investing for the rural woman”. This celebration constituted an opportunity for organisers to:
Launch world awareness and information drive in order to give this day a genuine universal dimension.
Raise the awareness of governments and the general public on actions to be encouraged in favour of rural women.
In Cameroon, the World Rural Women’s Day was celebrated for the first time in 1997 by NGOs and female associations under the patronage of the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Family. The theme retained was “Investing for rural women through training and information”.
The third edition in 1998 marked the very first official celebration of this day by the Government of Cameroon. The theme retained was “Human Rights for all Rural Women”.
The Fourth Edition in 2000 was celebrated on the theme “The Voices of Rural Women for Peace and Development”.
The Sixth Edition in 2001 was placed under the theme “Peace for Rural Women to secure food security”. An open letter entitled “Protect your traditional knowledge” was addressed to rural women of the world by the international organizers of this day.
The Seventh Edition had as theme “Poverty is everybody’s concern: education and training, a key factor inthe fight against poverty”
The Eighth Edition in 2003 had as theme “For a better access to land and water”.
For the Ninth Edition in 2004, reflections centred on the theme “biodiversity for food security: farmers are actively involved”.
Activities carried out in Cameroon
Media campaigns.
Organisation of round tables.
Conferences and educational talks.
Visiting the realisations of rural women.
Organisation of exhibition-sale of agro-pastoral and craft products.
Organisation of gastronomic fairs.
Contests for the best agro-pastoral achievement.
Organisation of cultural and sporting evenings.
Rural women’s march-pass.
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