1991-92 - Rural women: full partners in development

Ensuring that rural women are full partners in the development process has been one of IFAD’s priorities. In 1991, a Core Group of Wives of Heads of State or Government asks IFAD to organize a Summit on the Economic Advancement of Rural Women. The summit takes place in Geneva, 25-26 February 1992, and seeks to promote political commitment at the highest level, raise public awareness and mobilize worldwide support for rural women.

The response is overwhelming. A host of key persons gathers at the Geneva summit, including 64 wives of heads of State or Government; representatives of heads of State or Government from 47 other countries; the Secretary-General of the United Nations; 10 heads of UN agencies and representatives of 12 others; and six special guests from the developing world.

The reaction of the international community to the Geneva Declaration for Rural Women adopted at the summit is very positive. Mechanisms to promote national, regional and international initiatives for the economic advancement of rural women are set in place: a 15-member International Steering Committee (ISC) is established to promote both the implementation of the Geneva Declaration, through the mobilization of political will and public opinion, and national policies for rural women in every country.

A number of countries quickly establish national steering committees or other special bodies to implement the Geneva Declaration, carrying out programmes through their respective governments and jointly with national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

" By expressing our solidarity, our solidarity, we are determined to raise the awareness of decision-makers, of the national, regional and international levels, of the condition of rural women.  We declare our commitment to their social and economic advancement and, thereby, to the enhancement of the well-being of the rural family and to equitable, sustainable development."

Extract from the Geneva Delcaration for Rural Women adopted by the Wives of Head of State and Goverment at the Summit for the Economic Advancement of Rural Women, Geneva, February 1992.

1992 - Enquiry into the causes of rural poverty

IFAD publishes a major study on the state of rural poverty: the first comprehensive publication ever issued on this subject.