On March 8, the International Women’s Day is celebrated across the globe. It is a special day in which we realize that it is important to work towards a gender equal world that is free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. We celebrate the roles that women play, in our personal lives and in our societies. We are Able! embraces the International Women’s Day, and underlines this year’s theme: ‘Inspire Inclusion’. In the six countries where we work we recognize the crucial roles that women play in the food chain. They buy the food for their families which they subsequently prepare as meals for the household. They also go to markets to sell the harvest of their agricultural land. And often overlooked is the fact that women have a rich knowledge of agricultural practices.
However, we see that women face stigmatization and discrimination, especially when they have a disability. In our position paper, published in summer 2023, we recognized that stigmatization restricts the access of women with disabilities to adequate resources, basic rights and opportunities. Barriers such as limited awareness of land rights, negative and impartial attitudes, and exclusion from decision-making processes makes it difficult for them to acquire land security and engage in agricultural activities. Our baseline study pointed out that only 7.8% of women with disabilities had secured land rights in the We are Able!-countries.
As We are Able!, we have to keep sharing our policy recommendations about women with disabilities. We demand that women with disabilities are offered a seat at the table in decision-making processes around food security programmes, strategies and policies. Additionally, it is crucial that women become aware of their rights. International development organizations, government agencies on development cooperation, and national and local governments should ensure that women with disabilities are reached in their efforts to ensure food security. Together, we should ensure that we go towards inclusive food security for all. After all, there is no talking about women’s rights and position before we ensure that women have sufficient access to food.
Photo: Ruben Timman
