Women’s rights must be at the center of struggles

On this day, FIAN International brings attention to the important role that women from all sectors play in denouncing the systematic violations of their human rights, particularly within the broader context of the dominant economic and development model, which exploits people, natural resources and exacerbates social and gender inequalities. This model, which coexists with patriarchal policies and practices, weakens the ability of States to hold third parties accountable and increasingly erodes its ability to confront the root causes of inequality.

 Commenting on International Women’s Day, FIAN International’s Secretary General Sofia Monsalve warns: “Policies often do not see women in their full capacity as human beings, but tend to reduce them to their role as families’ main providers of food security and nutrition. It is it is precisely this reduction that also results in the failure of States to tackle the root causes of food and nutrition insecurity and gender inequality.” Monsalve also recalls that “women, whether they are peasants, plantation workers, fishers, pastoralists or indigenous, are already challenging the dominant economic and development model and risking their lives to claim their rights.” “It is of utmost importance to make visible their experiences in challenging the structural barriers they face in their everyday lives,” she adds.

As echoed by Hilal Elver, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, in her last report, although women are responsible for producing and providing food, they are often the last in line in terms of accessing food themselves. Although this has been particularly prevalent in rural areas, as shown in India’s tea plantations, women and girls are equally discriminated against, in urban constituencies.

“They tend to remain invisible in decision-making processes and are rarely considered as individual rights holders, but rather as community members, mothers or caregivers. Despite the recognition in international human rights law and policies promoting the vital role of women in overall development policies and specifically implementation of their right to food, including nutrition remains critical due to structural disconnects,” the report reads.

FIAN International, together with civil society organizations and State missions to the UN, will bring the voices of women rights’ activists to the first yearly UN Human Rights Council session at the side event “No Right to Food without Women’s Rights: Women Exposing Violations from around the Globe”, on International Women’s Day. “This event will bring together women’s rights activists from social movements around the world together with the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food to present an understanding of the right to food that sees the realization of women’s rights as an end in itself and as integral to all struggles.” Monsalve concludes.

For more information about FIAN International’s work on women and girls rights, please contact cordova[at]fian.org  

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