PENANG, Malaysia – In the heart of Asia’s landscapes lies a tapestry of stories waiting to be heard. These are the narratives of strength, determination, and hope woven by the hands of Asian rural women.
To mark International Women’s Day 2024, PAN Asia Pacific’s (PANAP) Women in Agroecology: Towards Pesticide-Free Communities campaign continues on a transformative voyage alongside these women, chronicling their daily struggles and triumphs through a series of stories.
“At the core of this campaign lies a commitment to women’s empowerment. Through the power of storytelling, we aim to shine a light on the challenges faced by rural women and celebrate their unwavering resolve. Together, we advocate for gender equality and amplify the voices of those whose stories have been silenced for too long,” said Sarojeni Rengam, PANAP executive director.
This collection of feature stories highlights the voices of remarkable women from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Laos, and Vietnam. Their stories encapsulate the challenges rural women face and the victories they gain as they navigate the complexities of agricultural livelihoods and advocate for change.
“Every woman deserves the right to live in a toxic-free environment, free from the dangers of pesticide exposure and other harmful chemicals. The Women in Agroecology campaign underscores the importance of collective action in creating a world where everyone, regardless of gender, can thrive in a safe and healthy environment,” said Phuong Hai, project coordinator of the Vietnam-based Research Centre for Gender, Family and Environment in Development (CGFED), one of PANAP’s partners in the campaign.
Every year, 385 million farmers and farmworkers suffer acute pesticide poisoning. “These are not just statistics, but the lives of women, men, and children unjustly harmed by highly hazardous pesticides,” Rengam said.
Rural women’s journey towards empowerment intersects with the vital issue of food sovereignty. In a world where large corporations highly dominate food production, the Women in Agroecology campaign champions the rights of rural communities to control their food systems.
“Through the practice of agroecology and community-led initiatives, we work towards a future where every woman has access to nutritious food and the ability to feed her family with dignity and pride,” Rengam stressed.
Rengam added that the campaign is a call to action for individuals and organizations alike to stand in solidarity with Asian rural women and to support their journey towards emancipation and equality.
For Triana Kurnia Wardani, secretary general of Serikat Perempuan Indonesia (SERUNI), another PANAP partner in the campaign, empowering women is about giving them a voice and creating a platform where their stories can resonate and inspire change. “Through this campaign, we not only advocate for gender equality and women’s rights but also ignite a movement of solidarity and empowerment,” she pointed out.
PANAP has been compiling stories through the Women In Agroecology: Towards Pesticide-Free Communities campaign to document evidence of the successes of agroecology in upholding the rights and welfare of rural women and contributing to community resilience. PANAP’s partner organizations, Research Centre for Gender, Family and Environment in Development (CGFED, Vietnam), Sustainable Agriculture and Environment Development Association (SAEDA, Laos), Shikkha Shastha Unnayan Karzakram (SHISUK, Bangladesh) and Serikat Perempuan Indonesia (SERUNI), were instrumental in assembling this second installation. It launched the first collection of stories in last year’s International Women’s Day. ###
For media inquiries:
Nisha Kumaravel, PANAP Project Officer, nisha@panap.net
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