The International Women’s Day (IWD) 2024 focuses on the theme Invest in women: Accelerate progress. According to UN Women, 'achieving gender equality and women’s well-being in all aspects of life is more crucial than ever if we want to create prosperous economies and a healthy planet. However, we are facing a key challenge: the alarming $360 billion annual deficit in gender-equality measures by 2030'.
UN Women further lists five key areas that need joint action to ensure that women are not left behind: -
Investing in women: A human rights issue
Time is running out. Gender equality remains the greatest human rights challenge. Investing in women is a human rights imperative and cornerstone for building inclusive societies. Progress for women benefits us all.
Ending poverty
The COVID pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, climate disasters, and economic turmoil have pushed an extra 75 million people into severe poverty, since 2020. This could lead to more than 342 million women and girls living below the poverty line by 2030, making immediate action crucial.
Implementing gender-responsive financing
Due to conflicts and rising fuel and food prices, recent estimates suggest that 75 per cent of countries will curb public spending by 2025. Austerity negatively impacts women and crowds out public spending on essential public services and social protection.
Shifting to a green economy and care society
The current economic system exacerbates poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation, disproportionately affecting women and marginalized groups. Advocates for alternative economic models propose a shift towards a green economy and care society that amplifies women’s voices.
Supporting feminist change-makers
Feminist organizations are leading efforts to tackle women’s poverty and inequality. However, they are running on empty, receiving a meagre 0.13 per cent of total official development assistance.
We at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) are responding to the call to transform these challenges into opportunities and shape a better future for all through research!
Events
We will be marking the IWD 2024 across the various regions where ILRI is hosted. This involves bringing together the Institutes leaders as well as gender scientists to speak about gender research in light of investing in women through research.
At ILRI Kenya, we will be hosting this event through a morning coffee bringing together staff in an engaging session discussing some of the gender research work that has been invested in over the years, as well as any that is ongoing, even as we reflect on how it impacts on women’s empowerment.
The team in Ethiopia is also organizing a coffee morning event to bring together staff members to mark the day in reflection of ongoing gender research work.
The team in Tanzania will be hosting a similar event where the staff will also be having open discussions on women’s workplace issues as a contribution to One CGIAR Gender Diversity and Inclusion outcomes on ‘workplace culture where all women have equitable opportunities and support to develop, learn and progress’
In Uganda, the research team is working with partners to put together some case studies of women who have benefited from ongoing research work.
In a separate event, ILRI will hold a women in dairy event in Dagoretti, Nairobi to mark IWD 2024. This event is dedicated to recognizing the strength, resilience, and contributions of women in the dairy sector in Nairobi. Through engaging talks, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, the event will explore the achievements, challenges, and opportunities for women in dairy.
CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform
ILRI director general Appolinaire Djikeng and agricultural economist Immaculate Omondi will be speaking at a forum hosted by the CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform and its partners, the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) and CIFOR-ICRAF. Speakers will discuss the role of agricultural research for development institutions and researchers in accelerating progress for women to benefit from agrifood systems. Please see the event page.
The research team in Vietnam, highlight some of the recent achievements made from gender research.
Assessing livestock farmer groups in Mai Son District, Son La Province, Vietnam
Chan-henh Theory of Change reflection workshop: Progress updates on pig and beef cattle value chains
Assessment of feed resources availability and use for cattle and pigs in Mai Son District, Son La Province, Vietnam
Reducing antibiotic overuse in Vietnam’s agricultural sector: Stories from chicken farmers
Gender roles in the perception of safe pork and its organoleptic characteristics in Vietnam
