ASIA PACIFIC Issue 3

GENDER NEWS ASIA PACIFIC Issue 3

GENDER NEWS

Asia Pacific

October 2018

@FAO FAO ©

“Empowering Indigenous women in the Asia IN THIS ISSUE KEY RECOMMENS Pacific Region” Empowering Indigenous women in the Asia Pacific Region Indigenous Peoples have unique and most marginalized subgroups in the Page 1 ancestral cultures, traditions, Asia Pacific region. The lack of Empowering Indigenous Women languages,ghfgh food systems and respect to their basic human rights, governance systems. They share a cultures, spirituality and traditions in the Philippines strong connection to their land and and the encroachment of their Page 3 have developed a rich body of traditional lands and natural Taking Women Along to Ensure traditional knowledge on agro resources increase their vulnerability Zero Hunger in Pakistan biodiversity and preservation of by undermining livelihoods, shelters . endangered plant and animal and identity. Page 4 species. The Food and Agriculture Empowering Women in The Asia and the Pacific region is Organization of the United Nations Balochistan through Agricultural home to the largest number of has long realized that in order to Enterprise Development Indigenous Peoples, more than 260 achieve its mandate of eradicating Page 5 million people, or 70 percent of the food and nutrition insecurity and total indigenous population in the poverty through sustainable Rosaline Benefits from Climate- world. Based on ingenious strategies agricultural development and natural Resilient Agriculture and traditional knowledge, resource management, development Techniques Page 7 indigenous food systems are locally efforts must include indigenous and climatically adapted and resilient women and men as key allies and Ms. Rose Vira’s farm to feed to climate threats. In addition, they partners. her family in Vanuatu are fundamental to broaden the Page 8 available food base. Indigenous Indigenous women are food Peoples Territories host 80% of the producers, guardians of native seeds Women’s Success Stories from remaining biodiversity in the world. and custodians of traditional Afghanistan: Zahra and Fahimas knowledge. With their knowledge Despite their numbers and relevance and roles in sustainable agricultural Page 9 to food and nutrition security, production and management of Indigenous Peoples are among the natural resources, indigenous women

GENDER NEWS ASIA PACIFIC | Issue 3, 2018 2

contribute to the achievement of represent a unique opportunity to Only few countries in the region Zero Hunger. Even when facing triple advance the rights of indigenous recognize Indigenous Peoples’ discrimination because of being women and address many of the customary land rights. Even if women, indigenous and poor, challenges they currently face. indigenous communities may enjoy indigenous women have socially legitimized tenure rights, the demonstrated their leadership and There are approximately 185 million lack of formal recognition is capacity to be agents of change for indigenous women in the world, exacerbating their vulnerability, dignified lives. belonging to more than 5,000 especially in the context of large- different Indigenous Peoples groups. scale land investment, which have As countries face their agrarian Despite the broad international been on the rise in recent years. transitions, however, indigenous consensus about the important role women may face greater challenges indigenous women play in Shifting cultivation Indigenous in coping with the changes because eradicating hunger and malnutrition. Peoples in the Asia-Pacific region of lower education, language There are still limitations in the have long practiced shifting barriers, family-care responsibilities recognition and exercise of their cultivation as one of their agriculture and the multiple forms of rights. methods. While agronomist and discrimination they are exposed to. development workers have begun to It is fundamental to raise awareness recognize shifting cultivation as a Integrating the gender dimension on the contributions that indigenous form of agroforestry that has and Indigenous Peoples’ concerns in women make towards the provided secure and sustainable public policy is fundamental to achievement of Zero Hunger and to livelihoods for centuries, most achieveing the Sustainable engage all stakeholders in governmental and non- Development Goals. In order to leave eliminating the barriers that prevent governmental rural development no one behind in the implementation indigenous women from enjoying programmes in Asia still seek to of the 2030 Agenda, the needs and their rights fully. replace shifting cultivation. Through challenges of indigenous women shifting cultivation indigenous must be reflected in policies for rural Indigenous Peoples’ communities have been able to development and poverty reduction. customary Land Rights practice agro biodiversity, which is This can be achieved by ensuring being acknowledged as key to their full and effective participation in Customary access to land and natural promoting sustainable food decision-making processes and fora. resources, often in the form of communal tenure rights, is vitally production and climate change Global Campaign for the important for the livelihood, adaptation and resilience. reproduction, identity and spiritual Empowerment of practices of indigenous peoples. CONTRIBUTED BY Indigenous Women for From sedentary agriculture to Zero Hunger shifting cultivation, from hunting and Ms HaEun Jazmin Kim gathering to fishing and collection of FAO RAP Intern medicinal herbs and non-timber FAO in collaboration with the International Indigenous Women forest products, agriculture and CONTACT: Forum and the News Agency of access and use of natural resources Indigenous and Afro-descendent have been and still are a significant Ms. Bettina Gatt, Women, has launched a global source of livelihoods and income Gender and Social Development campaign that aims at making generations for indigenous peoples in Consultant, FAORAP indigenous women’s challenges and Asia. [email protected] contributions visible as a necessary step to “Leave no one behind” in the achievement of the Sustainable For further information please Development Agenda. visit the: Campaigns homepage

The 2030 Agenda and its stand-alone goal on gender equality, Goal 5,

GENDER NEWS ASIA PACIFIC | Issue 3, 2018 3

“Empowering Indigenous Women in the Philippines”

According to the Global Gender Gap violence against women in the The empowerment of indigenous report, released by the World community. women is not only important in itself Economic Forum (WEF) in 2017, the but also a necessary condition to Philippines maintained its status of eradicate hunger and malnutrition. being the most gender equal country Participants shared their practices as

in Asia, although the country food producers and received dropped down from 7th to 10th place demonstrations on the cacao due to the increased wage difference propagation and on breeding corn between men and women for similar and squash. This encouraged women work done. to adopt the methods, and share this

FAO/Angeline Ortiz FAO/Angeline new knowledge with their children. Gender gaps are even wider in rural © FAITH (Food Always in the Home) communities, mainly in agricultural Women group meeting to discuss about gardening informed women of areas, where most Indigenous their farm situation and income specially minimal maintenance needing crops. Peoples live. Indigenous women face after returning back from nearly 3 months of displacement where in most triple discrimination because of being Since January 2018, more than 100 women, indigenous and poor, and women in four indigenous remain seriously underrepresented in communities in the provinces of

decision-making positions. Their Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and participation in economic and social Compostela Valley were trained. activities is hampered, due to Gender equality and the persisting inequalities between men empowerment of women and girls as

and women. was emphasized as a necessary pre- FAO/Angeline Ortiz FAO/Angeline

condition for achieving sustainable © FAO’s Support development for all. In particular, A follow up activity in Calapagan, Davao In line with FAOs objectives to indigenous and rural women’s equal Oriental facilitated by Ms. Angelina B. Ortiz to eradicate hunger, promote food access to and control over land and update their implementation plans for FAITH natural resources, is critical for gardening and Abaca Hemp production as their security and nutrition, enhance income sources while waiting for their food agricultural production and equitable and sustainable socio- After the training, participants were productivity, and promote economic growth and development encouraged to have their own farm agricultural adaptation and and the achievement of the SDGs. planning especially for short-term mitigation to climate change, a The partner communities were able food crops such as vegetables and project partnered with Silingang to establish women’s groups, corn for consumption as well as Dapit sa Sidlakang Mindanao electing their own set of officials to income from sale of the surplus. (SILDAP) – Southeastern Mindanao, continue the project, and encourage Inc was initiated to enhance food production and community CONTRIBUTED BY awareness of indigenous women’s development. rights, and increase their Ms. Jaclyn Grey, participation in agricultural Furthermore, women were trained National Communication Specialist, production and entrepreneurship on agricultural production, FAO Philippines particularly with food crops and small development through community- CONTACT: based activities. farm animals. The importance of [email protected] ensuring food production for their The project focused on capacity families and income generation from building, awareness raising on their own farms was greatly indigenous women’s land rights, emphasized, along with the recognizing and making their social significance of farm planning. and economic role visible, as well as on the importance of reducing

GENDER NEWS ASIA PACIFIC | Issue 3, 2018 4

Taking Women Along to Ensure Zero Hunger in Pakistan

rural areas, with a net enrollment rate at fair prices and enabling them to in primary level age of girls of only make informed decisions. 53%. Benefits will be manifold. Vulnerable Male migration from villages to urban and subsistence women farmers will

areas to generate adequate income gain confidence and feel empowered

impacts women’s agency and with improvement in communication agricultural productivity. This with staff of their own gender. Young situation might be an opportunity for women graduates from agriculture women, but also brings additional universities will have more responsibilities in farming within the employment opportunities and a Muhammad Mushtaq Muhammad traditionally male-dominant farming chance to play their role in economic

FAO/ practices and tends to increase their growth of their country. © workload. FAOR Pakistan, Mina Dowlatchahi Rural women are key to ensuring There is a need to develop the transformative change and the In a country where agriculture is the capacity of rural women so that they sustainable and inclusive growth of main source of ensuring food security can gain the necessary knowledge to Pakistan Agriculture sector. and sustainable livelihood for rural better access and use productive families, the importance of women’s resources, improve their agriculture Sustainable agricultural role cannot be emphasized enough. and livestock practices and the development in Pakistan, therefore, While it is encouraging to see nutritional status and incomes of needs to consider women women’s contribution to Pakistan’s their families. Unfortunately, appropriately by giving them equal agri-sector being acknowledged however, women in all provinces of access to resources and recently, de facto women doing the Pakistan still have limited access to opportunities. Gender equality needs hard work in the fields are still largely extension services. to be promoted to reduce extreme neglected. It’s the women who play a poverty, improve food security and key role in growing and harvesting An IFPRI-FAO National Workshop on nutrition for the future generations. crops, producing vegetables, “Extension Services good practices Investment in tapping the potential maintaining homestead kitchen and way forward” held in March 2018 of women and girls will contribute to gardens, and managing herds of identified the lack of female the achievement of SDG 2, Zero cattle, alongside performing their extension workers as one problem to Hunger and SDG 5 Gender Equality in reproductive roles of raising children, be addressed. Out of a total of 6,390 Pakistan. feeding and caring for family field extension workers in agriculture members, taking care of domestic departments, only 1.31% are female: work, fetching water, animal feed in Baluchistan there are 49, 25 in and collecting fuel. It is these women Pakistan administered Kashmir, 10 in who are often left behind. Their Sindh and n0t even one female field immense contribution remains extension worker in KP and Punjab. unrecognized when policies and There is a real and urgent need to action plans are being formulated induct more women officers and field CONTRIBUTED BY and implemented. staff in government agriculture and Ms. Mina Dowlatchahi allied natural resource departments. Rural women make up 83% of the FAOR, FAO Pakistan This is key reaching out to women nearly 15 million female labor force in CONTACT: and girls and tapping into their Pakistan. Most of them work in [email protected] potential by exposing them to agriculture, and are among the most modern and climate smart farming vulnerable subgroups of the practices, helping them to gain better population. The national female access to productive inputs and credit literacy rate is 49%, but only 38% in

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Empowering Women in Balochistan through Agricultural Enterprise Development

“Our dream has come true! We have jobs and markets have increased income, reduce their daily workload started receiving fruits of the efforts Baloch women’s woes. and to make investment decisions that we made for a decent living. With independently to improve their living all the household chores to take care With very limited social and conditions. Activities include apricot of, it is not easy to take out time and economic opportunities, women in processing, vegetable seedling energy for making handicrafts. rural Balochistan are entirely production, poultry raising, sheep However, receiving a reasonable price dependent on their husbands and fattening and wool processing”. for our products is a great relief,” said male family members. Fatima Bibi, after a major client “After successfully mobilizing women “When it comes to women’s in far flung bordering areas, we are placed a sizeable order for purchasing participation in economic activities, her products. now increasingly focusing on they fulfil a key role in agriculture and economically empower women” the livestock production in Balochistan, Deputy Program Manager, Ahmed but despite their active role, they Jan Essa, highlighted. The wool value continue to receive inadequate chain has ample opportunities for remuneration.” said FAO Balochistan rural women to earn their own Chief Technical Advisor, Marcel income. They can engage in a range Stallen. He added that “women of activities from wool shearing,

Muhammad Irfan Muhammad mostly do not receive any share in the washing, grading, spinning to carpet

income from crops, livestock or other weaving and of course embroidery FAO/ © agri products, in spite of their hard and handicrafts production. work”. Women within the tribal culture of Balochistan. Under the Australian Government With the support of the Australian funded economic empowerment Government, FAO in collaboration Fatima Bibi is a resident of Nushki project, women have been trained to with the Government of Balochistan, and is one among dozens of other prepare the sheep for shearing and to launched two projects in the women who put their embroidery hand wash the sheared fleeces and province: the “Australian Balochistan and handicraft at display at Serena grade, sort, spin and dye the wool. Agri Business Program” and Hotel during a ceremony organized Once wool has undergone basic “Empowering women in Balochistan by the Food and Agriculture processing, it can be spun into yarn. through agri entrepreneurship”. The Organization of the United Nations latter project aims to empower The yarn can then be dyed and used (FAO) as part of its project women from Nushki, Chagai and in carpet making which is also mostly “Empowering women in Balochistan Quetta districts through female done by women. “To increase the through Agri entrepreneurship”. enterprise development in the yield, protect fiber length and The Serena Hotel Management agriculture sector. Agriculture, increasing the efficiency of women expressed their interest in purchasing livestock, handicrafts and engaged in wool addition activities, Balochistan’s traditional handicrafts embroidery provide the most suitable wool spinning wheels have been and 150 pieces of embroidery to opportunities for women in introduced to women of rural areas, decorate hotel rooms. Balochistan to utilize their potential Ahmed noted. to earn income Women within the tribal culture of “I have been provided with a solar Balochistan do not enjoy social safety Asima Gulistan, FAO team leader on operated wool spinning wheel which nets. The literacy rate in rural areas of women economic empowerment, has greatly increased the efficiency of Balochistan is bleak, with an estimate explains that “the objective is to my work, without dependency on of only two percent of the rural develop and strengthen profitable lectricity” mother of four children, 50- women being literate. Illiteracy, Agri enterprises owned by women, poverty, dearth of access to services, thus enabling women to increase

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UPCOMING EVENT

World Food Day 2018 - Global Campaign for the Empowerment of Indigenous Women for Zero Hunger

Under the framework of the Global Campaign for the Empowerment of Indigenous Women for Zero Hunger, launched by the Director-General in January 2018, the Violet Chair

initiative is being promoted to call on countries to guarantee the full and effective participation of indigenous

women in policy-making processes by Srosh Anwar Srosh by related to forestry, fisheries,

FAO/ agriculture and other related

© matters. Training of Trainers for women. In the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific as well as we national level authorities we contribute on World years-old Bano Bibi, shares. “Now I houses and women having Food Day celebration (October 19 can spin 1 kg wool in one hour as insufficient means of income, the 2018) to raise awareness on the compared to the traditional methods Government should support the importance of including the only 250 gram per hour. I can now private sector and help rural women participation of indigenous women in easily earn Rs.7,000 per month and to increase their income from decision-making processes related to help my family to buy food, clothes agriculture and livestock, thus also food security. and medicines.” improving food security.” The initiative of the violet chair is a The President of the Balochistan call to authorities, organizations, the Women Business Association, Sana CONTRIBUTED BY international community, academia Durani, when asked to comment on and civil society to guarantee the full Mr. Waqas Rafique the FAO women empowerment and and effective participation of entrepreneurship initiative, noted: “I Communications Officer, FAO indigenous women in decision- have 5000 registered women in the Pakistan making processes that affect them Balochistan Women Business CONTACT: and their communities, and to make Association but only 50 are doing [email protected] them visible. business in embroidery jewellery etc.” She added that “due to lack of For additional info, visit: resources and financial constraints, http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/it we could not ensure outreach to the em/1147736/icode/ women of rural areas of Balochistan.

With the support of the Australian Government and FAO we would be able to reach many more women in the districts to become entrepreneurs and start their own

agri businesses”. She highlighted that “in an environment where tribal restrictions confine women to their

GENDER NEWS ASIA PACIFIC | Issue 3, 2018 7

Rosaline Benefits from Climate-Resilient Agriculture Techniques

Lucas and his wife Rosaline, two local “Growing our own vegetables has CONTRIBUTED BY farmers, have seven children been very useful. Normally we would Mr. Waqas Rafique together. Sometime ago, feeding the spend at least 300 rupees on buying Communications Officer, FAO family of eight was something vegetables, but now we use the Pakistan Rosaline worried about every day. products from our own field. CONTACT: Although she had some idea about Sometimes when we have guests, our what the problem was, she did not own vegetables get us through. [email protected] know about any options available to Following our example, other women them to improve their situation. in my locality have also made their own garden,” she says. In village Azizabad in Punjab province where Rosaline lives with her family, Deeba, FAO Women Open School NEW PUBLICATION as the impacts of climate change are facilitator, conducted these sessions

intensifying and water is becoming and said that there was now a healthy We are excited to announce the increasingly rare, the challenges for competition among women farmers finalization of the Country Gender farming communities have grown as they tried to get the best product Assessments (CGA) report for the manifold. from their kitchen gardens. Philippines and Sri Lanka. Under its Building Disaster Resilience She also explained the different Congratulations to colleagues in the in Pakistan programme, FAO first stages involved in empowering the two offices! identified and mobilized eight willing women farmers with the latest agri- The Regional Office has been farmer families holding small lands in techniques. “Through the Women supporting CGAs in agriculture and this locality. Open School schools we wanted to the rural sector in Bangladesh, ensure food security for every Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, The project also took into account the household in the drought prone Lao PDR, Maldives and Viet Nam. gender dimension with the Women locality. To achieve this, we trained a CGAs are also ongoing in several Open schools. In Pakistan, women group of 25 women and sensitized Pacific Island Countries namely have almost no opportunities to leave them on the importance of growing Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, their home and work to help improve in their own homes” household incomes. While men work Samoa, Vanuatu and Solomon Island. at selling their produce in the market, On a community level, local farmers Designed as part of the regional it’s the women who are responsible are now growing a variety of proposal for promoting gender for looking after family nutrition and vegetables, making better use of the equality through knowledge well-being. available water and increasing their generation and awareness raising, incomes. Through the Farmer Field the CGAs will contribute to accelerate Women Open Schools were also set Schools, this FAO-UK aid programme effective implementation of the up in Rosaline’s village to raise has also helped establish strong Regional Gender Strategy and Action awareness among women not only linkages between the farmers and the Plan for Asia and the Pacific 2017- on climate-resilient agriculture government agriculture 2019. techniques but also on nutrition. departments. CGA Sri Lanka: Since then, Rosaline has noted an Women in the area said they felt http://www.fao.org/3/CA1516EN/ca15 improvement in their living excited because they now feel 16en.pdf (CGA animation) conditions. She can now provide needed, contributing to the CGA Philippines: enough food for the entire family and household income, and therefore their small vegetable field allows her being involved in the decision making http://www.fao.org/3/CA1345EN/ca13 to sell excess produce and to save process. 45en.pdf money.

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Ms. Rose Vira’s success story: A farm to feed her family in Vanuatu REPORTING OF FAO’S WORK ON GENDER EQUALITY

Dear Gender Focal Points, It’s that time of the year again: annual reporting is coming up! All Gender Focal Points will soon receive a Monkey Survey that is

meant to capture the extent of gender work and support provided in mainstreaming gender in the countries office, including all the activities implemented during the

FAO/Shukrullah Sherzad FAO/Shukrullah reporting year that contribute to © the implementation of FAO Ms.Rose a family farmer from Santo, Vanuatu. Policy on Gender Equality Ms. Rose Vira’s farm is situated 30 km The farm has approximately 3,000 We also remind that Country away from Luganville in Naunetas, pineapple plants, planted at wide annual reports ought to consider South Santo, Vanuatu. Farm access is spacing, following a local production gender-related results and sex- mainly along a dusty gravel road. method. Under an FAO Technical disaggregated data in their Hers is a mixed crops farm, producing Cooperation Programme-TCP results frame. root crops and fruits for family implemented in 2015-2017, Rosa Please, also continue with the consumption, but the focus is on introduced new pineapple husbandry monitoring and tracking of pineapple production for commercial practices such as closer spacing, crop gender-sensitive indicators and purposes. Rose sells pineapple in nutrition and off-season forcing qualifiers at output level in the Luganville and the local village techniques. In addition, over 1,000 monitoring framework of each market. pineapple plants were planted in a SO. new plot, intercropping at close Rose took over the responsibility of We would like to take this spacing with maize and peanuts. managing the farm after her husband opportunity to thank all FAO Representatives, Gender Focal passed away. She is very confident leading the family and managing the Points and technical officers for farm. She is closely working with the CONTRIBUTED BY your continued support and kind cooperation. local extension officers on technical Mr. Shukrullah Sherzad

matters and is very open to accept Agribusiness value chain consultant, new farming technology in her farm. FAO SAP The RAP Gender Team Rosa’s son and daughter help her as a CONTACT: labor force in their farm. Inputs such [email protected] as planting materials are prepared internally in the farm. Money generated from the crops sale are used for purchasing daily basic need goods as well as for other cultural and religious obligations.

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Women’s Success Stories from Afghanistan: Zahra and Fahima Zahra’s Story Starting around 1999, the Taliban Zahra already had her hands full began to wreak havoc on the being part of a women's cooperative Hazarajat, infamously destroying two and owning two women's clothing giant, well-preserved 6th century handicraft stores in the Bamyan Buddhas in 2001. But, their Center Bazaar, but when she heard destruction didn't begin or end there. FAO was looking for people to help They also terrorized the citizens of implement its school lunch program, the Hazarajat. Most people, including she eagerly signed up. Though she all of the 11 women and one man in knew a lot about clothing and Zahra's school lunch group, left their managing businesses, she wanted an homes because according to them opportunity to learn more about "everyone who didn't leave was nutrition and meal planning, so she killed." could better take care of her children, and help her neighbors do the same. After seeing her cousin get shot in front of her, Zahra, her two sisters Today, six days a week during the and her mother walked for three school year, Zahra and the team of 12

days, until they reached Ghazni lunch providers buy, cook and FAO/Jenna Jadin FAO/Jenna

© province where they were able to prepare lunch for two public boys and shelter and blend in with the Hazara girls schools in town. The day begins Ms.Zahra there. In Ghazni they found various when they collect vegetables from After hearing Zahra's story, you may ways to support themselves while their home gardens and the local wonder how she manages to sleep. their father stayed behind and fought market early in the morning. They the Taliban. One of the ways they then bring the ingredients to the At the age of 35, Zahra has five supported themselves was through school, and using hygienic techniques children, runs two businesses, is part teenage Zahra working under her and balanced menus provided to of a women's cooperative, and works burqa as a health care provider in a them by FAO, cook different stews on FAO’s school lunch program that village clinic, despite women being for the 150+ children that go to these is part of the larger Household Food largely forbidden from working. schools. Midway through the school and Livelihood Security project. Her day, they serve the children husband runs a small farm outside After the Taliban were ousted from generous, steaming bowls of soup Bamyan Center, and together they power in 2001, Zahra returned to and freshly-made bread. are a sort of power couple for this Bamyan. Restrictions against girls tiny, near rural city. But, while her life going to school were lifted. So at 18 With even less free time, but more is comfortable now, it was not always she started high school, and money than before, Zahra is able to this way. determined to rebuild her family and employ a female helper to take care community, successfully finished. of her youngest children. Zahra says Zahra is originally from a small village that she's "taught her helper hygienic in Bamyan, which is also known as the Shortly after high school, she got and nutritious cooking techniques so Hazarajat, or the center of the Hazara married and had children. Her I know my kids are being fed well now ethnic group. The Hazaras are one husband has always been supportive too." ethnic minority in the country, and of her working, so she began getting almost all are Shia Muslims. When involved in community development And, she adds, her neighbors come to Zahra was 13, the Taliban came to projects whenever she could. her all the time for nutrition and power in Afghanistan, and while strict Through this work in community hygiene advice, so "the best part of with everyone, the Taliban were development, she learned how to being part of this project is that I'm particularly un-fond of this Shia build businesses, manage finances, able to train other women in my minority. and mobilize and empower other community, which hopefully will help motivated women like herself. more of them find jobs in the food

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industry and make my community to work in 2001. And, when FAO participates in government working strong again" started its’ Emergency Irrigation and groups and activities for women and Rehabilitation Project (EIRP), she agriculture, and she acts as a bridge Given where Zahra came from, and found her opportunity for between project beneficiaries and where she is at a still young age, she advancement. the FAO. is a true inspiration not just for the women of Afghanistan, but for FAO hired her on to the Project as a Working with FAO has made life anyone, anywhere in the world. design engineer, and immediately unquestionably better. Fahima earns brought in technical experts to train more money, gets respect from her CONTRIBUTED BY her and her fellow engineers in basic colleagues, has autonomy in her job, Dr. Jenna Jadin, Ph.D. English and computer skills as well as and her career opportunities have Consultant, Analysis and reporting, more advanced technical training been advanced beyond what she ever FAO Afghanistan from FAO on topics like dreamed: she recognizes that it is environmental mitigation, possible that she could someday be supervision, and design and nominated to be a direct adviser to CONTACT: construction quality control. After the Minister of Water, like other FAO- Ms. Suraiya Khwajazada training and hard work, Fahima trained colleagues have Gender Focal Point of FAOAF, moved from design engineer to been. Or...perhaps even the Minister [email protected] supervisor in no time. of Water? If Afghanistan continues to promote gender equality in Fahima says “I dedicate much of my agriculture, and all fields, the success and opportunities for possibilities for well-educated Fahima’s Story advancement to my FAO mentor. He women like Fahima are limitless. showed that he trusted me and Fahima grew up in a well-known he pushed me to reach my potential Kabul family, and her parents always from day one. Every day of the past pushed her to pursue whatever decade of working with him has been dreams she had. Those dreams a pleasure.” Her mentor, a long-time changed over the years, but by 10th FAO Afghan staff member, speaks grade, they had materialized into a equally positively of Fahima. desire to be an engineer. Fahima was practical, wanted to work in the field, Today she is one of the few female and wanted to take part in building and the most senior engineers her country’s infrastructure back to working for MEW. She works both in Kabul and in the field, and has great what it had been previous to a decade of war and neglect. Fortunately for relationships with all of the Provincial her, she was able to attend college at governors. “They may have had their Kabul University, and got a MS doubts at first when they saw a female design engineer, but over the

degree in hydrotechnic engineering Jadin FAO/Jenna long before women’s education was years they’ve come to respect my © technical advice on water projects,” temporarily banned. Ms.Fahima she notes. Even better perhaps is the Out of grad school, Fahima started gratitude the beneficiary During a tour of the Ministry of working with the Ministry of Energy communities show her. One small Water, Fahima was not the only and Water (MEW), as a basic field community, in which her project built woman I encountered doing great engineer. She wasn’t sure what her a prayer washing area by a canal, work there. MEW, as well as the opportunities for advancement were, prays for her and her team every day, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and given the limitations on women in her she tells us with a smile. Livestock (MAIL), is full of talented society. When the Taliban came to women in managerial control the government in 1996, she, Fahima also takes a leading role in positions. These women, originally like all other women, had to put her many FAO joint activities that require or secondarily trained by FAO are career on hold. Thankfully it was not cooperation between the irrigation essential for promoting agriculture to a permanent hold, and she returned projects and other parts of FAO, she

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other women in the nation, as well as for building a strong, diverse and EVALUATION OF FAO’S BOOSTING GENDER CAPACITY IN WORK ON GENDER EQUALITY SRI LANKA multi-talented agricultural workforce

Does she try to convince other The FAO Sri Lanka organized a women to go into engineering? The FAO Office of Evaluation (OED) two-day training on the integration has launched the evaluation of FAO’s “Absolutely! It’s such a great of women in the agriculture sector work on gender equality in 2017 to opportunity to get into the as part of the FAO-EU FIRST assess how FAO has been countryside and really be involved in programme with representatives mainstreaming gender and the development of my beloved from ministries, private sector, civil promoting progress towards gender country’s infrastructure.” She society, academia, and equality and rural women’s encouraged her now-adult son and development partners taking part empowerment. daughter to get into engineering too in formulation of the Agricultural …”but they had other plans”… she This evaluation is an opportunity to Policy of Sri Lanka. The training identify challenges and prospects to says with a laugh and a small shrug of was jointly delivered by Clara M. further improve FAO’s programme her shoulders. Park, Regional Gender Officer, and effectiveness and development by Francesca Di Stefano, Gender contribution. and Policy Specialist from HQ. The CONTRIBUTED BY As part of the evaluation process, the training was also an opportunity to evaluation team visited RAP and two present the findings of the Country Dr. Jenna Jadin, Ph.D. country offices in the region Gender Assessment. Consultant, Analysis and reporting, (Philippines and Nepal) to identify FAO Afghanistan how the regional and country offices In addition a one day training on are implementing gender-related mainstreaming gender in the activities, learn about some results, CONTACT: project cycle was held for FAO Sri and understand what are the main Ms. Suraiya Khwajazada Lanka staff. challenges that need to be addressed Gender Focal Point of FAOAF, to strengthen FAO’s work on gender. [email protected] The preliminary results of the For media coverage of the event, Evaluation will be presented at click here. FAO EU Training Programme Committee.

GENDER NEWS Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific 39 Phra Athit Road Bangkok, Thailand www.fao.org/asiapacific For information : Clara Mi Young Park [email protected] Bettina Gatt [email protected]