Topic: 2024-Gender Equality in Rural Areas
Country: South Africa
Delegate Name: Ananya Arulmurugan
Women’s rights in rural areas have been a pressing global issue, as these regions often face unique challenges that hinder gender equality. While some progress has been made, Women in rural areas still face a myriad of challenges, including but not limited to limited access to education, healthcare, and other necessary resources. Rural areas are also some of the places with the highest rates of gender-based poverty. A lot of these disparities are compounded by deep-rooted societal norms, lower education, and systemic sexism. Rural areas face some of the hardest paths going forward with gender equality, and it is vital to aid them going forward. The UN has taken action and acknowledged these unique challenges, with documents like the “The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action” highlighting the need for women in rural areas to have access to more education, resources, and healthcare. Further action taken includes UN Women Flagship programs that address rural women’s economic empowerment, supporting women’s access to resources with the IFAD and FAO, and the Education for All initiative, which works to ensure that rural girls receive primary and secondary education.
South Africa currently faces many problems with this issue, problems that are supplemented by a history of patriarchal norms, gender-based violence, and lack of infrastructure. South Africa has one of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world, the majority of this taking place in rural areas. Limited education is another looming barrier in the path towards complete gender equality. A further hurdle is the patriarchal ideology enshrined in South African society and politics. However, steps are being taken to alleviate and solve this complex issue. For example, South Africa has constitutional protections for women. Furthermore, the NDP (National Development Plan) reduces gender inequality through initiatives targeting rural development, land reform, and improved women’s access to education and healthcare. Partnering with organizations like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Oxfam South Africa to deliver gender-focused programs in rural communities is also a vital action South Africa has taken to increase gender equality in rural areas.
South Africa stresses the importance of putting developing countries with the highest concentration of rural areas at the front and center of the discourse surrounding this topic. Many gender equality conversations happen with the focus placed on Western countries, and while there is still significant progress to be made in those countries, it is an unavoidable truth that a significant disparity exists in gender equality, depending on the region. South Africa proposes a broad resolution that can be tailored to fit an individual country’s needs, as it is crucial to recognize the different needs of each member state. Some solutions that are vital to solving the root cause of the problem include increasing access to education, improving land ownership rights, and funding programs that decrease stigma and sexism. Another thing that would significantly bolster the path towards gender equality is including women in political discourse and policymaking surrounding rural areas.
