New York, USA -- Across most of the developing world, women are on the frontlines in the fight against hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation. More than a decade of research by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has demonstrated that empowering women is essential for winning this fight.
IFPRI has found that increasing women’s education is a major factor in reducing child malnutrition. Between 1970 and 1995, improvements in women’s education and status within the household contributed 55 percent to the overall reduction of child malnutrition. In South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa alone, there would be 15 million fewer malnourished children under age 3 if women and men enjoyed equal status.
IFPRI’s findings highlight the profound impact of women’s empowerment on development outcomes. While most women in the developing world serve as the primary caretakers in the family, they often lack the power and resources to carry out this role effectively. Unequal access to land, education, and other key resources undermine development efforts. In Africa, for example, women often have primary responsibility for family food production and provide the majority of agricultural labor, yet their rights to land are restricted.
Improving women’s access to land rights and control over family resources delivers compelling results. IFPRI research has found that securing land rights for women can lead to greater agricultural productivity and improved environmental stewardship. In many households in the developing world, women are much more likely than men to spend time, money, and other resources on nutrition and education for their children. Unfortunately, women often have less control than men over family resources.
Today, the scenario for women in the developing world is one of unharnessed potential and unrealized goals. Tomorrow, the scenario could tell a very different story—one of empowerment and equal status, of healthier children and improved agricultural productivity. But what will it take to get there?
Policymakers from around the world will soon gather in New York City for the United Nations’ 49th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women to take stock of the progress made on women and development issues over the past decade.
We urge them to take action in three critical areas to advance women’s status in developing countries: increase resources in the hands of women; reduce discrimination against women; and place women’s issues at the forefront of policy action.
For more information, contact:
v.oconnor@cgiar.org
m.rubinstein@cgiar.org
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks sustainable solutions for ending hunger and poverty. IFPRI is one of 15 Future Harvest Centers and receives its principal funding from 64 governments, private foundations, and international and regional organizations known as the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.