Women and desertification

The theme for June 17 this year is "Women and Desertification". The theme recognizes the unique role played by women in regions affected by desertification and drought, particularly in rural areas of developing countries.

In many of the dry, agricultural areas of the world, it is traditionally women who devote time and effort to the land. They grow, process, manage and market most of the food and other natural resources that come from the earth. For a long time, women in rural areas have had direct experience with environmental degradation through their daily work. Seeing the problems close at hand has given them valuable knowledge for finding solutions.

Very often women are the poorest of the poor and lack the power and the opportunities to bring about real change. Poor women in the drylands have frequently been conditioned to accept their disadvantaged positions. They are the most affected by desertification, and yet the least empowered to effectively address this challenge. They are often excluded from participation in land conservation and development projects, from agricultural extension work and from policies that directly affect their livelihoods.

Special efforts therefore have to be undertaken to provide women with an enabling environment. To effectively address this global problem, it is of vital importance not only to provide women with technical and financial resources, but also to promote and fully recognize their role as vital dryland stakeholders.

In many countries women are beginning to gain access to land ownership and to take part in decision-making. This is raising their status and giving them a new perspective on changing their lives, society and their environment.

At the international level, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is promoting the participation of women. The convention breaks new ground by enshrining a bottom-up approach in international law. It underlines "the important role played by women" in ensuring implementation of the convention at the field level. The success in combating dryland degradation can be increased if women reach greater participation in researching, planning and decision-making at all levels of implementing the UNCCD.