Gender Equality in Food Systems

Given the persistence of gender inequalities, the increasingly harsh impact of climate change on rural societies and economies, the need to ensure that rural women living in poverty are not left behind and can increase their food and nutrition security and build resilience is more critical than ever. Economic empowerment, strengthened agency and gender-transformative policies, including the uptake of the Voluntary Guidelines on Gender Equality and Women’s and Girls Empowerment (VG GEWGE) endorsed at the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) in 2023, contribute substantially to economic growth and social justice in food systems. Gender equality and economic development are two of the objectives of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) International Cooperation Strategy.

The SDC supports an existing joint project of the Rome-based Agencies (RBAs) and UN Women that empowers women economically and strengthens their agency in Tanzania, Niger, Tunisia, Nepal and the Pacific Islands – the countries were selected on the basis of an application procedure –, and contributes to the uptake of the VG GEWGE at global, regional and national levels. The uptake of the VG GEWGE is building on the joint programme. Strengthened cooperation and collaboration of the RBAs is a long-standing priority of Switzerland and the uptake of the VG GEWEG reaffirms SDC’s commitment to the CFS by actively contributing to the implementation of its policy products.

• The most vulnerable rural women in food insecure communities, with an intersectional lens to ensure the inclusion of women facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination
• Women already economically active in small scale income generation with potential to boost their participation in the local economy
• Governments, civil society and private sector

The project will reach 58’600 direct beneficiaries (51’350 women and 7’250 men) and 251’000 indirect beneficiaries.

1. Improved food security and nutrition for rural women and their households that contribute to equitable and sustainable food systems
2. Rural women's income, decent work and economic autonomy increased to secure their livelihoods and build resilience
3. Rural women's voice and agency increased for full and equal participation and leadership in their households, communities, organizations and governance systems
4. Gender-responsive legal frameworks, policies and institutions strengthened to create an enabling environment for rural women to secure their livelihoods, rights and resilience
5. Increased knowledge and capacity of relevant actors to implement the VG GEWGE at global and regional levels

Expected results:  

Rural women have:

• Increased access to and control over productive resources and services
• Enhanced capacities and skills and access to markets
• Increased participation in governance and decision-making structures
• Increased capacity to engage in and influence relevant policy processes

Results from previous phases:  

The previous phase 1 was not supported by SDC.

• Phase 1 reached 79,829 beneficiaries (64,447 women and 15,382 men) and over 400,000 household members
• Phase 1 enabled the FAO, IFAD, WFP and UN Women to develop a partnership model and working modalities that can be extended to other initiatives
• Women increased their self-confidence in their ability to change their lives, with the support and positive behaviour change of men

• CFS, FAO, IFAD and WFP
• Whole Food System Section portfolio for cross-learning of integrating gender transformative approaches into food systems
• Swiss Cooperation Offices in Tanzania, Nepal, Niger and Tunisia