Women & Economy

Women Empowerment Holds the Key for Global Development

By Diego Arguedas Ortiz
Latin America's inclusion of women in its development model, with greater participation within the work force and improved wage conditions, was a decisive factor in the region's successful diminishment of extreme poverty. 

Girls in Rural Bangladesh Take Back Their Futures

By Naimul Haq
Four years ago, Farzana Aktar Ruma, now 18, was almost married off without her consent.

Biogas Brings Heat and Light to Pakistan’s Rural Poor

By Saleem Shaikh and Sughra Tunio
Nabela Zainab no longer chokes and coughs when she cooks a meal, thanks to the new biogas-fueled two-burner stove in her kitchen.

Women’s Cooperatives Ease Burden of HIV in Kenya

By Charles Karis
Seventy-three-year-old Dorcus Auma effortlessly weaves sisal fronds into a beautiful basket as she walks the tiny path that snakes up a hill. She wound up her farm work early because today, Thursday, she is required to attend her women's group gathering at the secretary’s homestead.

Latin America and the Caribbean: What does it take to prevent people from falling back into poverty

By Jessica Faieta
Latin America and the Caribbean countries have experienced historic economic and social transformation in recent years. This has led to a considerable reduction in poverty and inequality and to advances in closing gender, labor and education gaps. These achievements are the result of a favorable economic environment as well as proactive social inclusion policies.

Seeds for Supper as Drought Intensifies in South Madagascar

By Miriam Gathigah
Havasoa Philomene did not have any maize when the harvesting season kicked off at the end of May since like many in the Greater South of Madagascar, she had already boiled and eaten all her seeds due to the ongoing drought.

The Art of Covering Up in Somaliland

By James Jeffrey
Amid the hustle and bustle of downtown Hargeisa, Somaliland’s sun-blasted capital, women in various traditional Islamic modes of dress barter, argue and joke with men—much of it particularly volubly. Somaliland women are far from submissive and docile.

Asia-Pacific Region Aims at Hunger-Free Goal by 2030

By Thalif Deen
The Asia Pacific region - home to two of the world's most populous countries - faces major food security challenges. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), both China and India are not only two of the world's biggest producers of food but also the world's biggest consumers.

Young African Women More Vulnerable to HIV

By Lyndal Rowlands
When Lebogang Brenda Motsumi was 16  years old she fell pregnant, terrified about what her life would look like, she went to a backdoor clinic for an abortion.

Menstrual Hygiene Gaps Continue to Keep Girls from School

By Tharanga Yakupitiyage
Around the world girls are struggling to stay in school when their menstrual hygiene needs are forgotten or ignored, yet the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and education sectors have remained reluctant to address the issue.

Malawi’s Drought Leaves Millions High and Dry

By Charity Chimungu Phiri
It’s Saturday, market day at the popular Bvumbwe market in Thyolo district. About 40 kilometers away in Chiradzulu district, a vegetable vendor and mother of five, Esnart Nthawa, 35, has woken up at three a.m. to prepare for the journey to the market.

UNFPA Funding Cuts Threaten Women’s Health in Poorer Nations

By Thalif Deen
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA), which has played a key role in ensuring maternal health and promoting reproductive rights of millions of women world-wide, is expected to suffer over $140 million in funding cuts by Western donors this year.

Water Security Critical for World Fastest-Growing Economy

By an IPS Correspondent
Lack of water management and limited access to data risk hindering Myanmar’s economic growth, making water security a top priority of the new government.

Prickly Pears Drive Local Development in Northern Argentina

By Fabiana Frayssinet
Family farmers in the northern Argentine province of Chaco are gaining a new appreciation of the common prickly pear cactus, which is now driving a new kind of local development.

County Governments in Kenya Must Take Lead in Fight for Gender Equality

By Ambassador Tarja Fernandez and Siddharth Chatterjee
The 3rd Devolution Conference that took place in Meru, Kenya between 19 and 21st April was an opportunity to discuss how the post-2015 development agenda will be localized and how county governments will deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Kenya’s Young Inventors Shake Up Old Technology

By Justus Wanzala
Emma Masibo and Lucy Bwire have many things in common.

Is Demise of Small Farmers Imminent?

By Raghav Gaiha and Vani S. Kulkarni
Imminent demise of small farmers is predicted as they are not competitive in a context of transforming agrifood markets. Most important is the transformation of the "post–farm gate" segments of the supply chains.

WFO Calls for Farmer-Centred Sustainable Development

By Friday Phiri
Over 600 delegates representing at least 570 million farms scattered around the world gathered in Zambia from May 4-7 under the umbrella of the World Farmers' Organisation (WFO) to discuss climate change, land tenure, innovations and capacity building as four pillars on which to build agricultural development.

Farmers Can Weather Climate Change – With Financing

By Friday Phiri
Merian Kalala, a farmer in Solwezi, capital of the North-Western Province of Zambia, knows firsthand that climate change is posing massive problems for agricultural productivity.

No Farmers, No Food — True But Not Enough

By Evelyn Nguleka
Agriculture is the primary sector of all economies. It is the sector responsible for granting food and nutrition security to all human beings. Consequently it is responsible for social stability and health. And it provides work opportunities to families, men, women and youth, and largely contributes to the country Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Farmers Hold Keys to Ending Poverty, Hunger, FAO Says

By Friday Phiri
With recent data showing that 793 million people still go to bed hungry, ending hunger and poverty in 15 years is the next development challenge that world leaders have set for themselves.
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