Rural women in latin america and the caribbean

Of the approximately 670 million people living in Latin America and the Caribbean,

129

million are rural dwellers

They represent

21%

of the total population in LAC

Almost

1/2

of them are women

 

58

million
rural women 

live in Latin America and the Caribbean

20%

are indigenous women

23%

are afro-descendant women 

 

What they do:

They are peasants, craftswomen and fishers

Where they live:

Forests, rainforests, mountains and coasts

 

Visibility

52% categorize themselves as “inactive”; however:

They account for 51%  of food production.

They represent 43%  of the agricultural workforce in the region.

They serve as caregivers for their families and communities, respect the environment and transfer their knowledge to the younger generations. They do not receive adequate remuneration for their daily efforts, which are not recognized as “work” by the societies they live in.

Autonomy

Only 39% of rural girls attend school.

They spend 160 million more hours per year on household chores than boys their age spend.

40% of adult women do not receive their own income, compared to 14% of men.

Only 10% have access to credit opportunities.

Just 5% is able to benefit from technical assistance programs.

Consequently, female-headed households are more vulnerable to extreme poverty.

Empowerment

Fewer than 1/3 of rural women hold the title to the land on which they live and work.

Of the 194 countries recognized by the UN, 102 apply laws or customary practices that deny women the same rights to access land as men.

Furthermore, just 16% of production units are led by women, and the majority of them are smaller than one hectare.

They also face difficulties in participating in politics.

 
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