Women Farmers Contribution to Reach the SDGs

The United Nations has declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF 2026). IYWF 2026 will raise awareness and promote actions to close the gender gaps and improve women’s livelihoods worldwide, including by advancing gender equality in employment, social protection and access to productive resources.

While women make up the majority of the agricultural labour force throughout the world, they frequently face barriers to land ownership and often lack decision-making power regarding farm operations and household income. However, with recognition, access to land titles or secure tenure, and the ability to
access credit, female farmer co-production increases incomes, enabling better education for children, better healthcare for all, and strengthening the entire rural economy. The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and its 154 national associations have numerous Social Workers working in rural areas. Women farmers are among the people social workers work with, sitting at the intersection of policy, agriculture and human rights,
and facilitating programs under the ‘Green Care’ framework. Social workers support individuals and communities navigating complex systems, legal frameworks, and institutional
expectations.

This event presents a reflective space to explore the role of women farmers as business women, collaboration with various stakeholders and as care providers. A transformative approach towards more sustainable, inclusive and resilient agri-food systems requires embedding decent work, social protection and gender-responsive labour governance within broader rural development and care systems, ensuring that women farmers are supported not only as contributors, but as rights-holders and economic actors in their own right.

Objectives
● Strengthen understanding of the role of women farmers and their human rights and labour rights as providers and recipients of care, including their working conditions, access to social protection and meaningful representation and voice in decision-making processes affecting agri-food systems.
● Discuss social justice and human rights elements related to women farmers, and their access to and participation in health care, mental health and wellbeing, clean environment and safe and healthy working environments.
● Identify and understand the complexity of women farmers better and what support is needed. Identify shared advocacy and policy priorities at national and global levels, with a view to advancing decent work, strengthening social dialogue and promoting inclusive and gender-responsive governance in agri-food systems.

Target Audience
Women farmers, workers, producers and representatives of employers’ and workers’ organisations in agri-food systems, Governments, UN Agencies, health professionals, practising social workers, financial services providers, members and representatives of national social work associations, educators, and other professionals engaged in social work policy and advocacy.

Programme Structure
● Human rights, labour rights, and social work frameworks
● Role of women farmers as providers
● Role of business partners
● Ensure effective access to labour protection and social security, including through labour inspection, for all care workers, in all types of employment, especially for those most at risk of insufficient or inadequate protection such as domestic workers, migrant workers or community health and care workers;
● Promoting occupational safety and health for women farmers, including violence and harassment, distress, mental health and suicide among female farmers
● Importance of rights-based approaches for the promotion of gender equality and women farmers’ economic empowerment in agri-food systems)
● Advocacy and policy priorities at the national and global levels
● Experience of social workers in mental health promotion in rural areas

Expected Outcomes
Participants will have a clearer understanding of the human rights and labour rights of women farmers and contribute to identifying key areas for collective advocacy and policy action at the global level. The results of this discussion shall lead to a guiding document for the involved organisations to raise awareness on this topic.