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PHOTOGRAPH EXHIBIT AT FAO HONORS INTERNATIONAL DAY OF RURAL WOMEN

The Rome UN Women Representatives' Gender Network opened a photography exhibit in honor of the October 15 International Day of Rural Women at the UN Food and Agricultural Organization.

The photographs for this exhibit "Feeding the planet: the hidden work of women farmers" were taken by Sharon Ketchum, Alternate Permanent Representative from the United States Mission and an active member of the Gender Network. On trips to agricultural development projects, Sharon often watched men tell their stories to officials, while the women were barely visible over in the fields weeding and watering the plants. The photos for this exhibit try to bring women and their work into the foreground.

The idea for this exhibit is a response to both personal observations and data produced by the UN agencies in Rome. Nearly half of all farmers are women—many more in some countries. But this fact is not recognized by most people. The Gender Network works to increase recognition of their work and to ensure that women receive a fairer share of agricultural resources and support. These changes are essential, not only for the sake of the rural women themselves. The world needs rural women to achieve their full productive potential if we are to end world hunger.

The exhibit photographs represent women from Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Malawi, Moldova, Tanzania, Turkey and Vietnam. Many were taken when Sharon has accompanied U.S. Ambassador David Lane and teams of journalists to view hunger prevention and agricultural development projects supported by the U.S. government and the Rome Based UN agencies.