October 15 is the International Day of Rural Women, which in 2021 is celebrated under the theme «Rural women grow quality food for all people», recognizing their key role in the fight against extreme poverty, hunger and malnutrition, directly related to challenge 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals (Zero Hunger).
However, as recognized by the United Nations, “Women represent slightly more than 40% of the agricultural workforce in developing countries, and can reach more than 50% in certain parts of Africa and Asia. However, they face significant discrimination when it comes to ownership of land and livestock, equal pay, participation in decision-making by entities such as agricultural cooperatives, and access to resources, credit and market for their farms and farms to prosper”.
In this sense, the Social Promotion Foundation works in Palestine for the empowerment of rural women that guarantees an improvement in their quality of life and access to the same opportunities and resources as men.
Thus, within the framework of the agreement to promote resilience in the rural areas of the West Bank and Gaza, which we execute in consortium with Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC) and Rural Women Development Society (RWDS), and financed by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID), the Foundation has supported the creation of 16 home gardens led entirely by rural women in Beit Dajan and Borqh (West Bank).
In 2020, RWDS built cisterns to collect rainwater, and this year 2021, PARC has installed the irrigation systems, in addition to training them in good agricultural practices, efficient water management and making homemade compost as a natural fertilizer, thus ensuring the production of nutritious and safe fruits and vegetables to feed their families a healthy, varied and balanced diet.
Hala and Muna are two of the many rural women in Palestine who face every day structural barriers and socio-cultural norms that prevent their great work from being visible. Today, more than ever, from Social Promotion, we want to thank you for your effort and recognize your great work.