Glass Ceiling at the Floor Level

THE RIGHTS OF RURAL WOMEN

When the glass ceiling shattered, paving the way for great women leaders to rise to the top, creating wealth, displaying dynamic leadership inferior to none; the broken pieces of glass have now melded together at a lower level, causing severe inequalities in basic survival necessities across underdeveloped and developing countries around the world.  Social and religious organizations have done countless projects and executed many programs making dents here and there, but the extent of the problem far surpassed the progress being made.  In December of 2007, the United Nations resolved that October 15th of each year would be recognized as the International Day of Rural Women with a focus on women empowerment as a means to end poverty and hunger.  Taking it a step further, in December of 2011, the UN declared October 11th of each year as the International Day of the Girl Child with a focus on education, particularly as relates to technology.

While there is no argument that rural and indigenous women play a "critical role...in enhancing agriculture and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty" their ability to do so is hampered by the inequalities executed in their respective areas.  A recently published joint task-force publication indicates that rural women in Asia and Africa have less access to irrigation systems and technology; limited access to land and spend significantly more time than other women attending to household chores and family health issues, while working irregular hours for low wages.

The UN's 8 point strategy for addressing the problem is:

1 - Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2 - Achieve universal primary education.
3 - Promote gender equality and empower women
4 - Reduce child mortality
5 - Improve maternal health
6 - Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other infectious diseases
7 - Ensure environmental stability, quality and availability of land, game, forests and genetic and aquatic resources
8 - A global partnership for development.

Somewhere in that list is a place for each of us.  We cannot all go to the far ends of the earth, and even if we could, most of us would be so overwhelmed when we got there we would be of no use to the people or ourselves.  But that does not mean that we cannot get involved.  The days of just sending money to an organization without keeping track of the program we are supporting and the progress being made, helps no one.  We need to stay abreast of the situation beyond these two observance days and engage more closely with women rural women and girls.  Support their products, adopt their programs - we can all do something to help!