Naslov
The situation of women living in rural areas of the European Union

Autori
Franić, Ramona

Izvornik
Directorate-General For Internal Policies. Policy Department C: Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs: International Day of Rural Women 2015. Study for the FEMM Committee

Vrsta, podvrsta
Ostale vrste radova, elaborat/studija

Godina
2015

Ključne riječi
Rural women; Policy; Gender; European Union

Sažetak
Background Women play a major role in civil society and in economic growth in rural areas all over the world and their work is crucial for survival and provides means for household to escape the poverty or just live better. Rural women account for the production of half of the world's food, and up to 80% of production in most developing countries. Estimations show that 7 out of 10 of the world's hungry are women. Also, women own less than 15% of land worldwide, and less than 2% of property in the developing world ; they do two-thirds of the world's work, receive 10% of the world's income. That is why gender inequality is not just a problem of women, but it is a problem of agricultural productivity, of food security and rural development. Rural women are not a homogenous group. Their roles and contributions to the society differ, as well as their needs and interests, depending on their age, the size and composition of their family and age of their children. A constant feature is nevertheless discrimination, albeit varying in degree. Global policy put gender equity as a strategic objective, and rural development policy of the EU put the gender mainstreaming into the directive which governs the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as well as the Rural Development Programme (RDP). Aim The analysis tries to identify and to provide an overview of the situation of rural women in Europe: (i) their position in the labour market, (ii) their role in food production, (iii) their position on the food market, (iv) their role in sustainable rural development, (v) their role in maintaining tradition and cultural heritage, and (vi) main characteristics of the leadership and participation of rural women in decision-making and policy shaping with consequences for food security and rural development. The basic measures created at the EU level are identified, created to close the gap between men and women living in rural areas, regarding equal access to the resources and business opportunities. Main conclusions • Women make up slightly more than 50% of the total EU population. Their share in the economically active population is considerably lower and in 2014 women represented only 46.4% of the total economically active population ; • In rural areas of the EU, a similar gap between men and women exists in their degree of participation in economic activities. Women represent slightly less than 50% of the total working age population in the rural areas of the EU, but only about 45% of the total economically active population ; • Across the European Union generally, gender segregation of the labour market means that women are more likely to be concentrated in lower paid employment, and less senior roles. Education, age and life cycle stage are also factors affecting women’s labour market situation. The share of self-employed women in the EU differs considerably across countries. • About one third of all people at risk of poverty are living in thinly populated (rural) areas of the EU. The share of population at risk of poverty in these areas is particularly high in those Member States with a high poverty risk in general. According to Eurostat, in 2013, 16.6% of the EU-28 population was assessed to be at-risk-of-poverty after social transfers, particularly in Greece (23.1%), Romania (22.4%), Bulgaria (21.0%), Lithuania (20.6%), and Spain (20.4%). • Only 29% of farm holders in EU-27 were women in 2007, which is an increase of 2 percentage points since 2003. The share of female farm holders is generally higher in countries with an overall high presence of female farm labour (such as in the three Baltic countries). • Women make a considerable contribution in food production: more than one-third directly employed in crop and animal production of the EU-28 are women, and about one half of the total number employed in manufacturing and services linked with food and beverages. Increasing numbers of women are becoming self-employed farm managers, and casual or seasonal wage-work is a growing feature of female employment in rural areas. • Women are responsible for about 81% purchase of consumer goods and about 82% of all foods. Employed women are the main decision makers in their households when it comes to costs for food, clothing, telephone services, home appliances and furniture, costs of education, family insurance. In highly developed countries they contribute with more than 50% to the family income, which make them a powerful market force. • Women in rural areas are the guardians of traditional knowledge of indigenous plants ; they recognize and appreciate the importance of the fields and forests as sources of food and health for people and animals. However, despite the fact that women in rural areas significantly contribute to the income and food security for their families, they often remain invisible and unrecognized. • Women’s contribution to local and community development is significant, but rural women everywhere are in a minority in decision-making and planning, particularly at regional and national levels. This is in part due to women’s multiple roles and workload, but is also due to the persistence of traditional views about women’s and men’s roles in society. • Women are more extensively involved in care giving than men in both the home and the labour market. They have a greater sense of responsibility toward the less privileged. This implies that women display more tolerant attitudes due to a lower preference for inequality among different social groups than men. • Women are involved in homecare taking activities and are less confronted with new ideas, habits attitudes etc., and remain more traditional in their views. Although it may seem as a development constraint, it also may derive positive consequences: women keeping traditional knowledge and maintaining positive traditions in rural areas. • It is still unusual for women to participate in discussions and decisions about the agricultural business. Bringing women into rural development also means ensuring participation in planning and decision-making, concerning development objectives, strategies and projects. It is important that women take an equally active part as men in the formulation of policies and strategies by development agencies and authorities. • Improving the conditions for women in rural areas would enable them to achieve better productivity, access to markets and economic efficiency. Solutions are seen in better access to information, education and credit, as well as encouraging business association of women in rural areas.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Poljoprivreda (agronomija)

POVEZANOST RADA