THP perspective: Gender is not merely important – it is the fundamental root cause of most of the remaining hunger in our world. Deeply entrenched patriarchal social, legal, political and economic structures give rise to hunger and extreme poverty.
In most societies where hunger persists, women bear most of the responsibility for meeting family needs, yet lack the resources, information and freedom of action to fulfill those responsibilities.
Key interventions: (click here for the top-ten list)
- Gender analysis
- Rights awareness and engagement by both women and men
- Strengthening women’s organizations
- Political empowerment and voice: ensuring equal leadership, and empowering women’s leadership
- Economic empowerment
- Female adult literacy
- Subsidies to keep girls in school
- Halting Gender-based violence including child marriage and ending impunity to perpetrators.
- Ensuring women’s secure rights to productive assets
- Gender-disaggregated data
Key messages:
- “Nothing for us without us.”
- “Womens rights are human rights, and human rights are human rights.”
- Violence against women is not cultural, it’s criminal.
Global campaigns and initiatives:
- 16 Days of Activism to Halt Gender-based violence – Nov 26 to Dec 10.
- International Women’s Day – March 8
- International Girl Child Day
- CEDAW
- Girl Up
- Every Woman Every Child
- Girls not Brides is a global partnership of more than 400 civil society organisations from over 60 countries working to address the issue of child marriage.
- Unite to End Violence Against Women was launched in 2008 by the United Nations Secretary-General to raise public awareness and increase political will and resources to prevent and end all forms of violence against women and girls in the world.
- HEFORSHE is a solidarity movement for gender equality.The goal of this movement is to address inequalities and discrimination faced by women and girls in the world.
- Women’s Empowerment Principles
Key agencies:
- UN Women
- UN Population Fund
- UN Foundation
- International Center for Research on Women
- Women Thrive Worldwide
Key reports and data sources:
- UN Gender Statistics Manual (lots of good infographics!)
- Beijing Platform of Action
- State of the World’s Mothers
- The Asian Enigma
Must read books: