Time for evidence to contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment
“I
t is time for evidence to contribute towards achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment. We are called upon to light a decision-making path for our leaders”, stated Dr Indran A. Naidoo, Director of the Independent Office of Evaluation (IOE) of IFAD, as he opened the United Nations Food Systems Summit (FSS) parallel session on ‘evidence pathways to gender equality and food systems transformation’, on 27 July 2021.
Indran A. Naidoo
Gender inequalities negatively affect food systems, in spite of the fact that women represent almost half of the total agricultural workforce in low-income countries, as underlined by H.E Ms. Céline Jurgensen, Ambassador and Permanent Repre-
atic gender inequalities remain leading women’s contribution to be often undervalued.” The attention paid to women’s empowerment by international policymakers has fallen short of making the necessary impact. “Policies adopted to close the gap between opportunities for women and men have not been enough. Experience has shown us that achievements made thus far have been isolated because they are not holistically approached. In many cases, women have entered into what is conventionally seen as ‘men’s world’. The challenge is now for men to enter into what is conventionally seen as ‘women’s world’”, stated Ms María de los Ángeles Gomez Aguilar, Alternate Representative of Mexico to FAO, WFP and IFAD.
María de los Ángeles Gomez Aguilar
Céline Jurgensen
sentative of France to the United Nations in Rome. “Whereas women are key actors in every part of the food chain as farmers, entrepreneurs, processors, traders and consumers, system32
With a global pandemic causing havoc to food systems worldwide, evidence is needed to deliver viable solutions to this paradox as never before. “In these times of conflict and pandemic-driven crisis, evaluation has never been more relevant and necessary. As members of the evaluation community, it is our duty, our responsibility to share findings from evalua-
tions so that we learn and act; so that we contribute to solutions. We provide the scientific level of objectivity needed now more than ever”, Dr Naidoo underscored in this regard. H.E. Ms Alexandra Bugailiskis, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to FAO, WFP and IFAD, reiterated this point by emphasizing that “evaluation makes sure that we can invest effectively and make good returns”.
Alexandra Bugailiskis
Co-organized by IFAD, WFP, FAO and CGIAR Advisory Services, the gender-focused FSS parallel session brought together over one hundred and fifty among high-level representatives of the diplomatic community, international organizations and civil society for a discussion facilitated by Ms Allison Smith, Director of CGIAR Advisory Services. Discussions focused largely on the findings of a joint report of the four agencies that summarises learning and experience from 47 evaluations addressing food systems-related programming since 2017. The result of this collective effort is a document that highlights nine evidence and experience-based lessons, which will enrich gender-responsive and transforma-
