The 2030 Agenda envisages a future in which no one is left behind and poverty and hunger are eradicated in all their forms. Gender equality and women's empowerment are at the centre of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In addition to be mainstreamed across all SDGs, in particular SDG 1 “No poverty”, SDG 2 “Zero hunger” and SDG 17 “Partnerships for the Goals”, gender equality has a dedicated stand-alone Goal: SDG 5 “Gender Equality - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”.

In view of these global commitments, the High-level Event will provide an interactive platform to address the structural causes and consequences of gender inequality in rural areas and to identify the main challenges, gaps, opportunities and collaborative actions for unleashing the potential of rural women and girls to end hunger and poverty. Moreover, it will highlight what needs to be done differently and promote partnerships among Members, UN entities, civil society, private sector and other stakeholders. These are essential elements for achieving gender
equality by 2030 in the framework of the Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This event is organized by FAO, the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, in close collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), World Food Programme (WFP), and UN Women. 

A detailed programme of the event will follow.

For further information, please contact Iraís Martinez Esparza at: Irais.MartinezEsparza@fao.org