Rural women: Building climate resilience, sustaining nature for our collective future

In a rural village of Vanua Lava, Vanuatu, Esther peels cassava to prepare a meal for her family. Water for Women partners with World Vision to deliver Inclusive Climate-Resilient WASH to an estimated 22,600* people living in Sanma and Torba, who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change on water, sanitation and hygiene (World Vision Vanuatu)
The United Nations International Day of Rural Women and Global Handwashing Day, both observed on 15th October, share a profound connection in their focus on health, empowerment, and sustainable development.
Rural women play a crucial role in their communities as primary caregivers and key contributors to household health and hygiene. They also represent around 43% of the global agricultural workforce, performing critical roles in farming, land and water resource management, biodiversity conservation, and the informal workforce. In fact, women are responsible for producing about half of the world’s food.
However, rural women often lack access to adequate sanitation facilities, clean water, and resources for proper hygiene, which are essential for preventing disease, promoting good health and well-being, and enabling their participation in broader economic, social, educational and leadership opportunities. Despite their significant contributions to food sercurity and nutrition, rural women also face inequalities that often lock them out of land ownership, financial services, and education.
According to the UN, “Globally, with few exceptions, every gender and development indicator for which data are available reveals that rural women fare worse than rural men and urban women and that they disproportionately experience poverty, exclusion, and the effects of climate change.” But if women had the same access to productive resources as their male counterparts, farm yields could increase by up to 30 percent and feed an additional 100 to 150 million people.
Working in partnership with communities, governments, rights holder and non-governmental organisations, Water for Women partners have reached over 302,000* people, including more than 151,000* women and girls, with improved access to climate-resilient and inclusive water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities and resources. This is fundamental for poverty alleviation, economic growth, climate action, and good health for all.
Throughout Asia and the Pacific, in all communities where Water for Women projects are being implemented, women are at the heart and at the helm of transformative changes that are building climate resilience. Women are challenging social norms, driving innovations and taking climate action. To celebrate Rural Women’s Day and Global Handwashing Day, we highlight and pay tribute to rural and Indigenous women, whose significant contributions across agrifood chains, biodiversity conservation, water resource and land management, as caretakers and custodians sustain nature and provide for our collective good.
Together, let’s magnify the expertise and knowledges of rural and Indigenous women and amplify their voices in decision-making at all levels. By advancing gender equality and empowering rural women, we can create a more peaceful and sustainable future for all people and our planet.
Explore some recent updates below
Recently published
Learning log 1: Breaking barriers for climate resilience
- Why and how is gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) critical to climate-resilient WASH?
- Within WASH systems, what structural barriers need to be removed to ensure that gendered, social and economic inequalities are addressed?
- What pathways are different actors using to transfer power and progress transformation towards climate-resilient inclusive WASH systems and services?
- What are the linkages between inclusion, transformation and climate-resilient WASH?
In the final year of Water for Women, through our Learning Agenda we have set ourselves the goal of addressing an important evidence gap in climate-resilient development, collaborating to answer the overarching question:
What does climate-resilient inclusive WASH development look like?
Pisey Chea, Regional GEDSI Advisor with WaterAid Australia, is co-leading a learning group that has been looking specfically at the role of GEDSI in climate-resilient WASH and identifying structural barriers within WASH systems that perpetuate inequalities. Pisey shares insights from the working group on the learning journey so far.
The United Nations International Day of Rural Women and Global Handwashing Day, both observed on 15th October, share a profound connection in their focus on health, empowerment, and sustainable development.
This year’s Rural Women’s Day theme, "Rural Women Sustaining Nature for Our Collective Future: Building climate resilience, conserving biodiversity, and caring for land towards gender equality and empowerment,” emphasises the significant contributions of rural women to sustainable development. While Global Handwashing Day reiterates the importance of access to clean water and sanitation for all, which is pivotal for health, nutrition, well-being and equality.
Rural and Indigenous women are at the frontlines of our changing climate. As farmers, producers, custodians and caregivers, they hold important knowledge for building climate resilience. Yet, they often face discriminatory norms that limit their participation in decision-making and leadership roles, and hinder access to education and resources. This not only affects individual livelihoods, but stifles broader productivity, rural economic development, and community health outcomes.
Advancing gender equality and empowering rural women benefits everyone. By magnifying the expertise and knowledges of rural and Indigenous women and amplifying their voices in decision-making at all levels, we can create a more peaceful and sustainable future for all people and our planet.
*These Fund targets are based on partner civil society organisations project baseline studies. Project targets are updated periodically in response to changes in context as appropriate.
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