International Day for Rural Women

International Rural Women’s Day is celebrated on 15 October across the globe, annually. The day emphasises that the world’s sustainable future is not possible without rural women and girls. Since rural women are active agents of socio-economic change, there is a need to pull them out of the stereotypical role of caregiving. In this article, you will read in detail about the day, its historical background and significance.

As UPSC surprises aspirants with questions linked with what usually is assumed to be trivia; it is advisable that one must scroll through the facts about International Rural Women’s Day to get the basic information. Given the unpredictability of the UPSC CSE you might get a question in UPSC Prelims as part of current affairs.

Facts about International Day for Rural Women for UPSC Exam

Read the below-mentioned facts and aid your IAS Exam preparation along with other competitive exams’ preparation.

The topic can be asked as a Current Affairs Question in IAS Prelims. Visit the attached link to attempt practice quizzes on current affairs.

To read more about the other Important International and National days click on the link. Such days and events become very important for UPSC Prelims.

About International Day for Rural Women, 2021

• From agriculture to food security, nutrition, land and natural resource management, domestic care and work, rural women are at the forefront. So when agriculture and natural resources are threatened, it’s the rural women who are at the frontline. The day is observed on 15 October every year by the UN to recognise the role of women in improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.
• The day aims to create awareness about the fact that the engagement of rural women diversifies family livelihood, yet their efforts largely go unappreciated.
• The day is celebrated on different themes every year to acknowledge that rural women not only play a significant role in shaping families and societies but are also actively involved in on-farm and off-farm activities.
• The day is celebrated under various themes every year to bring out the issues faced by these women.
• The theme of International Day for Rural Women 2021 was “Rural women cultivating good food for all“.

Background of International Day for Rural Women

• The International Day of Rural Women was established in 1995 by Civil society organisations at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.
• The day was declared an official UN Day by the UN General Assembly, on 18 December 2007, through its resolution 62/136. 

Significance of International Day for Rural Women

• International Day for Rural Women focuses on gender equality and helps in empowering women in rural areas. The day talks about several gender discriminations faced by these women in agriculture-based jobs.
• The day is commemorated to celebrate Rural Women Leaders and their communities, NGOs and grassroots women’s groups  around the world.
• The United Nation aims to highlight that although rural women and girls have a critical contribution to the rural economy, they lag behind rural men and urban women.
• The day creates awareness of these women’s struggles, their needs, and their critical and key role in our society. Hence, it establishes that sustainable development is not possible without involving rural women.

Challenges faced by Rural Women

• Although rural women comprise almost half the total workforce, they do not enjoy equal rights and share as their male counterparts.
• They face discrimination in equal pay, credit, participation in decision making, access to resources and livestock ownership.
• Access to quality health services, essential medicines, and vaccines is also very less. Restrictive social norms and gender stereotypes also limit rural women’s ability to access health services.
• A lot of rural women suffer from isolation and a lack of access to critical technologies to improve their work and personal life.

Note: Also read in detail about Gender Inequality in the linked article.

Some Government Schemes for Empowering Women

• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
• SWADHAR Greh
• Nari Shakti Puraskar

Note- Also, Read about Women Empowerment in the article attached to the link. Also go through  Government Schemes in India to know more about other schemes.

Note: As UPSC 2022 approaches, use BYJU’S free Daily Video Analysis of The Hindu Newspaper to augment your preparation.