CSW62 (2018) Agreed conclusions 6/10

31. The Commission recognizes that globalization presents both challenges and opportunities for women’s economic empowerment, including rural women. It also recognizes that there is a need to make broad and sustained efforts to ensure globalization is fully inclusive and equitable for all, including rural women and girls, and becomes an increasingly positive force for women’s economic empowerment.


32. The Commission notes with great concern that millions of people, including women and girls living in rural areas, are facing famine or the immediate risk of famine or are experiencing severe food insecurity in several regions of the world, and noting that armed conflicts, drought, poverty and the volatility of commodity prices are among the factors causing or exacerbating famine and severe food insecurity and that additional efforts, including international support, are urgently needed to address this, including in response to urgent United Nations humanitarian appeals with emergency aid and urgent funding. 

33. The Commission is deeply concerned that climate change poses challenges to poverty eradication and the achievement of sustainable development, and that owing to gender inequalities, rural women and girls, especially in developing countries, including SIDS, are often disproportionately affected by the adverse impacts of climate change, extreme weather events and natural disasters and other environmental issues, including land degradation, desertification, deforestation, sand and dust storms, persistent drought, sea level rise, coastal erosion and ocean acidification. It recalls the Paris Agreement and that the Parties acknowledged that they should, when taking action to address climate change, respect, promote and consider gender equality, the empowerment of women and intergenerational equity, and in this context, also recalls the adoption of the Gender Action Plan by the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at its 23rd session. It acknowledges the necessity for every person, including women and girls in rural areas, of present and future generations to have access to an environment adequate to their health, well-being and the critical importance of ensuring such an access for the empowerment of rural women and girls and the sustainable development and resilience of rural communities. 

34. The Commission recognizes the impact of armed conflict on rural women and girls, and the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of armed conflicts and in peace-building and in this regard, stresses the importance of their full, effective and meaningful participation, including by increasing their role in peace processes as well as in decision-making in efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security, and reiterates the important engagement by men and boys as partners in promoting this participation.

35. The Commission also stresses the importance of strengthening rural women's and girls' voice, agency, participation and leadership, and women's full, equal and effective participation at all levels of decisionmaking. It recognizes the critical role played by rural women's civil society organizations, trade unions, enterprises and cooperatives in gathering and uniting rural women and supporting them in all spheres. 

36. The Commission recognizes that indigenous women and girls living in rural and remote areas, regardless of age, often face violence and higher rates of poverty, limited access to health care services, information and communication technologies (ICT), infrastructure, financial services, education and employment, while also recognizing their cultural, social, economic, political and environmental contributions, including to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

37. The Commission expresses concern that women and girls with disabilities, particularly those living in rural and remote areas experience stigmatization and an increased risk of violence, exploitation and abuse, including sexual violence and abuse compared to those without disabilities, and that they face a lack of accessible and inclusive services in rural areas, limited access to justice and equal recognition before the law, as well as limited opportunities for productive employment and decent work, participation in political and public life, living independently and inclusion in their communities, and having the freedom to make their own choices.

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