Advancing gender equality in rural areas in the EU

Women play a crucial role for the development and economic growth of our rural communities in the EU. They contribute greatly to the viability of farming and of other rural businesses, as well as to their household care and family welfare, to their communities’ life and in general to keep rural areas vibrant. Several studies highlight women’s prominent role in adopting innovative business approaches as well as environmentally friendly land use practices.

Yet this key role is too often ‘invisible’, not adequately recognised, and rural women keep facing greater difficulties, compared to men, as regards access to land, loans and the labour market, including the farm business (only ~30% of farms across the EU are managed by women).

The existing gender gap is revealed in many other forms: as acknowledged by the European Commission in its Communication on the EU Long Term Vision for Rural Area, women are more exposed to precarious employments; they are more likely to leave rural regions than men; and are less involved in decision-making processes within the household, community and society as a whole. Furthermore, the lack of basic services such as healthcare, childcare and education often forces women to leave paid work to take care of children, based on traditional gender roles, thus amplifying gender inequalities.

The EU is committed to improving the situation, notably through the EU Rural Action Plan, by supporting the uptake of female entrepreneurship, women’s participation in decision-making and the provision of adequate services in rural areas to ensure a healthy work-life balance. The CAP, under its Specific Objective 8, will promote employment, growth, gender equality, including the participation of women in farming, social inclusion and local development in rural areas. However, the CAP alone cannot succeed: joint work with other EU and national funding tools and policies is needed, and above all with the European Social Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, and the InvestEU Programme.

Aims of the workshop

• Enhance the understanding of the key challenges faced by women in rural areas across the EU, focusing on access to employment, decision-making processes and services;
• Discuss successful experiences from different Member States, including strategic approaches as well as individual projects; and
• Explore possible solutions that can be promoted through the CAP Strategic Plans and other EU funding tools and policies.

Background documents