Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations
Background
The mandate of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is to raise levels of nutrition, improve agricultural productivity, better the lives of rural populations and contribute to the growth of the world economy.
Areas of Focus
FAO seeks to promote gender equality and reduce discrimination against women through various activities that also support the elimination of violence against women. Activities focus on the reinforcement of food security and the economic rights of women, mainly by promoting their access to and management of economic resources, the reduction of women’s workload, access to healthcare, education, training and information, and the promotion of women’s participation in decision-making processes. In agriculture and rural settings where FAO operates, GBV is a pervasive and persistent reality.
Resources
- Understanding the gender-related impact of the crisis in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank for an inclusive response Briefing note on the Occupied Palestinian Territory (2024)
- The status of women in agrifood systems. (2023)
- Eliminating gender-based violence and protecting rural communities through food security and agricultural interventions – Brief (2023)
- Complementary Information Note - Gender-related impacts of the Ukraine Conflict (2022)
- Practical guide on how to eliminate gender-based violence and protect rural communities through food security and agriculture interventions - Guidance for FAO staff and partners (2022)
- Paving the way to build the resilience of men and women. How to conduct a gender analysis of resilience. Rome. (2019)
- Protection from gender-based violence in food and nutrition security interventions (2018)
- How can food security interventions contribute to reducing gender-based violence? (2016)
- GUIDANCE NOTE Gender, food security and nutrition in protracted crises Women and girls as agents of resilience (2016)
- A gender-responsive approach to disaster risk reduction (DRR) planning in the agriculture sector. Guidance for supporting rural women and men to build resilience in the face of disasters
A specific guidance (“How can we protect men, women and children from gender-based violence? Addressing GBV in the food security and agriculture sector”) and a policy brief (“How can food security interventions contribute to reducing gender-based violence?”) were developed to introduce FAO staff and relevant partners to both the relevance and practical know-how of addressing GBV in food security and agriculture interventions. The Guide specifically calls upon FAO and partner staff to contribute to the protection of all human rights, including the right to a life free from GBV.
- Improve understanding of the different forms of gender-based violence, their causes and consequences, and how they directly and indirectly affect the agriculture sector, food security and livelihoods;
- Better define FAO responsibilities and identify the best opportunities to address GBV;
- Provide practical information and tools to inform protection and GBV analysis at each stage of the project cycle.