International Women's Day: Enabling Access to Resources, Combating Violence, and Promoting Equality

Women worldwide are particularly affected by hunger: they account for 60 percent of the people suffering from food insecurity. In Sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 40 percent also suffer from anemia. Women and small-scale farmers need access to land for greater food security. However, women often do not own the plots they cultivate. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), they own only 15 percent of agricultural land in developing countries because patriarchal systems often prevent them from inheriting land. This is despite the fact that in Guinea- Bissau, for example, more women - 54 percent - are engaged in farming compared to men.

This precarious land ownership situation does not come without consequences: women have minimal access to loans to make investments - such as planting fruit trees - making them even more vulnerable. To remedy this, SWISSAID supports small-scale farmers in Guinea-Bissau with a communal credit and savings system, enabling them to acquire land and improve their food security.

Against gender-specific violence

Combating violence against women is also a focal point for SWISSAID, especially in rural areas of Colombia. In 2025, more than 600 femicides were registered there. The projects aim to prevent this violence and reduce structural inequalities. In cases of violence, women find support in networks dedicated to empowering their emancipation.

The project "Women Raising Their Voices and Fighting for Their Rights" aims to increase the participation of women from rural areas in the political, economic, and social life of their communities through training and awareness-raising measures. Since 2024, more than 12,000 women have attended training sessions on women's rights and leadership skills, allowing them to actively engage in the political, economic, and social life of their communities.

A long way

Despite progress made, structural inequalities and insufficient access to resources continue to hinder women's self- determination. The goals set by the United Nations in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Goal 5 for achieving gender equality, are far from being met.

"Women need access to land, resources, education, and protection from violence to build sustainable food systems," demands Valentina Maggiulli, Deputy Program Director and Gender Issues Representative at SWISSAID. "These are essential prerequisites for a fairer world."

The United Nations has declared 2026 as the International Year of Rural Women, highlighting the central role of women farmers who perform a significant proportion of agricultural work and make an essential contribution to feeding the world's population. Women are also the heart of food systems and SWISSAID projects: women's rights, access to resources, and self-determination for women.

Photos attached: Female farmers in Bambadinca Cossara and Ponta Nova in Guinea-Bissau. Photo credit: Ricci Shryock/SWISSAID

Contact persons:

Valentina Maggiulli, Deputy Program Director and Gender Issues Responsible
Tel: +41 (0)79 358 84 77, v.maggiulli@swissaid.ch

Thaïs In der Smitten, Media Officer
SWISSAID
Tel: +41 (0)77 408 27 65, media@swissaid.ch

Editor's note: Image rights belong to the respective publisher. Image rights: SWISSAID