Rural Women

On the Friday of March 2nd at the United Nations headquarters in north lawn building, a conference was held by the United Nations commission on the status of women 56 high level panel discussing the rural women, poverty, crises they face and their rights. The panel on this subject contained influential speakers like MS. Magdalena Sepulveda Carmona, the UN independent expert on Extreme poverty, Ms. Radhika Balakrishnan, centre for women’s Global leadership, Mrs. Luz Maria Martinez, Isis international, Ms. Shahra Razavi, UNRISD among others. Throughout the seminar, the issues that bring about poverty among women in the society were discussed as length. This paper will look at some of the issues that were discusses during the meeting and some of the ways that were discussed to try and alleviate this problem.

According to Isis international, over its thirty eight years of its existence, it has taken part in a number of CSW meetings and a lot of other events sponsored by the United Nations. The CSW has in many years served cases of violation of human rights and also bring out those that were hidden. This organization has given face to the cruel analysis of the male development which resulted in the creation of a structure. This structure addresses the numerous issues facing the development of a human being. As a result of this, the status of women has now been considered in the government economic, social and political agendas. These agendas have also been allotted funds to actualize these agendas that have been placed on the parliamentary table. The process is highly participatory, consultative and includes women since it is to benefit them.

These women even in their struggle to make something out of themselves in the society are still battling with exclusion, discrimination and different forms of violations. This is not to mention the age long issues which have over time continued to marginalize, subordinate and exclude women globally. One of the ancient issues affecting women is that of communication and information. These issues may seem relatively small if looked at literally and not enough to bring poverty affect the economy, the environment and women in general worldwide. The truth is that information and communication are extremely fundamental in the solving of problems facing the rural women. This information would help in bringing them out of their poverty stricken state. Women, however, are considered to be had working people in the society and can significantly influence the economy of the nation if well handled and the right stand to act.

The input and the voice of women from the rural grassroots are the most influential remedy to use against the crisis brought about by poverty. This would also mean that, by overcoming poverty, the rights of the rural women will be appreciated, respected and held high. People of the world have often put the rural women at a sideline not to communicate with the world and always assuming a decision for them, but the idea is, involving these same women in the ideas and agendas that are to be put in place. These women need to learn how to strengthen their efforts then proceed to pressuring the decision makers of policy. Rural women hold immense power in the nation, but they either do not to know that or are too afraid to have their voices heard. If given a platform, these women can for sue give the nation a remedy to a menace that has ailed the world for ages.

Information and communication introduced to women is a source of both power and rights. It also gives the individuals the power to exercise the power and the rights bestowed to them by communication and information. A woman who is informed is a smart woman who can make decisions first within the family setting then the surrounding society. Also, the small improvement strategies that are laid by these rural women help the members of the society. Either way these women still remain poor because as much as they re informed, they cannot communicate their ideas or even seek ways to get help in regards to the ideas or information regarding the little information they have. The two aspects go together, and they also complement each other. Information, however, small needs to be communicated to be heard interpreted and understood by the other party. For instance, for the rural women, acquiring information means that they can be able to start small projects so as to sustain their families and bring the family out of hunger and poverty. However if, they incorporate communication with the information they have acquired, they will gather a sizeable mass of people and move up the status ladder together. Maybe in doing this, the society at large will finally be able to address the aspects that have been preventing the empowerment of women and equality.

It is said that information is powering hence each person ought to access it and benefit from it. In order for information to be powerful to women, it can not only be given to them as mere recipients. They should be able to be their own creators of information and have the capability to share this same information with others. This includes having the control and power over the channels of communication. In my opinion, women are extraordinary people in the world we have today and are part of the reason earth is still developing. Otherwise, without the woman, the earth would simply be a mess. This same woman should get the opportunity to be heard. Because, It is only natural that a woman would have something to say which could be an answer to a problem or way to get to a solution. Again, these same women are suffering poverty in the rural areas were as their input to the society indirectly is extraordinarily high. Rural areas are homes of almost all the natural products and farm produce that find their way to the city, and if these women can supply a whole city with food for such a long time, what would they do if they are allowed the least opening to air their views and opinions? My answer would be, a lot. The world need to educate their rural women and arm them with the power of information, and in so doing, the ever existing crisis of poverty will either decline significantly or will be a problem of the past. Rural women should be given a voice.