Joint Programme on Accelerating Progress towards the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women
Rural women are key agents for achieving the transformational economic, environmental and social changes required for sustainable development. Their empowerment is vital for the well-being of individuals, families and rural communities and the realisation of the 2030 Agenda.
Yet many rural women continue to face significant barriers that limit their ability to fully participate in and equally benefit from profitable economic activities. Restricted access to resources and services, such as land, finance, healthcare, education, market information, agricultural inputs and technology, are further compounded by broader systemic barriers. All of which are exacerbated during times conflict, food, economic and environmental crises.
The Joint Programme on Accelerating Progress towards Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment (JP RWEE) is a global initiative with an overarching goal to secure rural women’s livelihoods, rights and resilience in the context of sustainable development, Agenda 2030. The programme is currently in its second phase and is being implemented in Nepal, Niger, the Pacific Islands, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Tunisia.
Jointly implemented by FAO, IFAD, UN Women and WFP, the JP RWEE adopts a holistic approach to rural women's economic empowerment, building on each agency's comparative advantage and strengths in order to improve the status of women in rural areas.
The JP RWEE has four main outcomes:
- Improved food security and nutrition;
- Increased income, decent work and economic autonomy;
- Enhanced participation and leadership in rural life and institutions;
- More gender-responsive policy environment
Addressing the root causes of gender inequality by working to overcome patriarchal systems and discriminatory social norms is crucial to removing the barriers to gender equality and achieving women’s empowerment. The JP RWEE works towards addressing gender-specific constraints that rural women face in accessing resources and opportunities and implementing measures to enhance women’s agency and expand their capacities as farmers, entrepreneurs and leaders.
Phase One of the JP RWEE was implemented from 2014 to 2021 in Ethiopia, Guatemala, Liberia, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Niger and Rwanda and reached almost 80,000 rural women and 407,000 household members through a set of integrated efforts, with the generous support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Norad) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Phase II is being implemented with continued funding from Norad and Sida, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
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