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Researcher recommends changes to improve women’s conditions in rural areas
Women in rural areas are facing significant challenges that threaten their livelihoods, primarily due to entrenched traditions and norms, inadequate agricultural policies, and the impacts of climate change.
Deep-rooted cultural norms assign women caretaking roles, leading to "time poverty" that restricts their economic participation and results in lower educational and health outcomes. Current agricultural policies, like the Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization Law, often neglect women's specific needs, limiting their access to resources and machinery necessary for productive farming. Additionally, climate change disproportionately impacts women, forcing them to devote more time to household chores instead of income-generating activities, while their limited access to land and credit further hinders their ability to adapt to changing conditions. According to the policy paper entitled “Crafting policies and programs for women in the agriculture sector” by Connie Bayudan-Dacuycuy, experts recommend integrating gender perspectives into climate change adaptation strategies, encouraging the growth of social enterprises that can provide livelihoods for women, and mainstreaming adaptive social protection programs that combine social support with climate resilience. Investing in rural infrastructure, such as childcare services and improved access to water, can also alleviate some of the burdens faced by women in the care economy. As part of her recommendations, she added that there should be more research on the gender-specific impacts of climate change to inform policies that better support women's needs in rural areas. By recognizing and addressing these challenges, stakeholders can work towards creating more sustainable livelihoods for women in agriculture. |
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