October 15, 2010
On the International Day of Rural Women, the Government of Canada recognizes the crucial roles rural women play in reducing poverty, reducing hunger among their children, and contributing to social stability in their communities.
According to the World Bank, 75 percent of the poor in developing countries live in rural areas. In many rural communities worldwide, women care for the children, grow the crops, generate income, and bear the burden of domestic responsibility. Yet, in some developing countries, rural women own less than 10 percent of agricultural land, have poor access to education and health care, and have even fewer opportunities to get training, credit, and other tools to improve their livelihoods.
The Government of Canada, through CIDA, integrates equality between women and men into all of its development programming and planning. CIDA is focusing on small-scale farmers, most of whom are women, because they are the ones who bring food to the table. It is helping to educate women and girls because they, in turn, will ensure the education, health care, and better nutrition of their children and families. It is supporting the efforts of women to increase their household incomes by empowering them to start or expand businesses because it is known that women are drivers of sustainable economic growth.
In many developing countries, maternal mortality continues to be high, especially in rural areas. Through Canada's Muskoka G-8 initiative on maternal, newborn, and child health, CIDA is helping to provide rural women with better access to local health centres, including skilled healthcare workers and the full continuum of care from pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, delivery, and early childhood.
On this International Day of Rural Women, Canadians can be proud of this Government's efforts to improve the health and well-being of rural women worldwide.
Beverley J. Oda
Minister of International Cooperation
