7/27/2019 Plenary - Jeannette Gurung

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WOCAN key points for opening session

WOCAN is pleased to be part of this event organized with FAO and ADB. Inthe last few years, we have seen an increasing recognition of the importance

of gender equality for food security; but we still need to work on changingthe way we think about gender and enact those changes in appropriate

policies.

1. Women are responsible for ensuring that the family has food on thetable in almost all countries of the world. They produce, purchase and

prepare food. However, they still often struggle to feed their children andthemselves with sufficient quantities of nutritious food. If we want that

situation to change, leadership is required across several fronts in unison,

to support bold initiatives to ensure that women are given equal access toproductive assets and decision-making opportunities. And critically, weneed to engage men in this process of change.

2. The 9 years of WOCANs experience show that when women are givenleadership skills and are organized in groups, they can express theirneeds and priorities within their household and community and they stand

a better chance to influence local and national policies and programmes,and benefit from them.

3. WOCAN has developed different tools especially to build leadershipcapacities of women and their organizations, as well as men who supportthem. We have worked with IFAD to build the capacities of over 20

trainers in Nepal, Philippines, Lao PDR, Sri Lanka and the Maldives to

reach out to over 460 women and men farmers.

4. In the last 2 months we have been collecting information on initiatives

that have made a positive change, improving womens leadership, gender

equality and contributing to food security and nutritional status. They will

be shared with you. This consultation is only one step in a process to build

more awareness that food security and healthy nutrition will not happen

without gender equality. Change starts in the way we as individuals and

organizational members act. This event is an opportunity to bring

individuals, of government agencies, international organizations, NGOs

and farmers together to reflect on how effective and positive change

happens to ensure the Other Half obtains Equal Opportunities.