In May 2012, UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet announced the members of her Global Civil Society Advisory Group. We at The Hunger Project are proud to announce that Tarcila Rivera Zea, Director of Chirapaq, our partner organization in Peru, has been appointed to the consultative forum.

The UN Women advisory group was established earlier in the year at the 56th session of the Commission on the Status of Women — at which our Executive Vice President John Coonrod served as the first-ever male U.S. Public Delegate —  and will facilitate regular consultations and dialogue between civil society and UN Women.

Tarcila will serve with the group for two years, along with influential leaders from around the world, with the main objective of "dialogue and engagement to advance global goals of gender equality and women’s empowerment."

About the advisory group, Ms. Bachelet had this to say:

"I am delighted that a group of outstanding international women’s rights advocates and experts on gender issues have agreed to serve on my Global Civil Society Advisory Group. They will play an important consulting role, and provide strategic perspectives on advocacy on gender equality and women’s empowerment and on UN Women’s thematic priorities. They will also help strengthen UN Women’s engagement and partnerships with civil society at all levels. I look forward to working together towards our common goals."

Tarcila is well recognized throughout the development and women's empowerment community and, in July 2011, was honored with a Visionaries Award from the Ford Foundation for her work on "lifting the voices of indigenous people." We look forward to hearing about her continued work with the Global Civil Society Advisory Group.

The Hunger Project’s Statement on Earth Day 2012

“Sustainability is not exclusively or even primarily an environmental issue…It is fundamentally about how we choose to live our lives, with an awareness that everything we do has consequences for the seven billion of us here today, as well as for the billions more who will follow, for centuries to come.”

-Helen Clark, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

One of The Hunger Project’s fundamental principles, on which all of our strategies are built, is that of sustainability: solutions to ending chronic hunger must be sustainable – locally, socially, economically and environmentally.

Human development and the protection of the environment are often seen as two opposite ends of a spectrum, and the question arises: when funds are so limited, do we focus on people or the environment? The world is now seeing the need to reframe the conversation and the upcoming Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development plans to address just this issue. At the summit, world leaders will focus on how to end hunger and poverty through a sustainable, green economy that advances human development without sacrificing the future environment.

At The Hunger Project, we firmly believe in a holistic approach that addresses the need for sustainability in ending chronic hunger as an environmental issue as well as a human one. It is possible to focus on both, and our village partners work every day to increase their resilience in the face of environmental challenges, but also toward what we at THP call sustainable self-reliance – an end to their chronic hunger and extreme poverty that is ever lasting and in harmony with the natural environment.

What We Do

People living in conditions of chronic hunger and extreme poverty in the developing world are primarily food farmers, and their well-being is most closely tied to the natural environment. THP’s programs:

• Promote sustainable farming practices such as composting, intercropping, and drip irrigation;
• Increase access to sustainable agricultural technology;
• Raise awareness of and build capacity to adapt to climate change;
• Facilitate reforestation through tree planting campaigns and the  establishment of tree nurseries; and
• Empower village leaders to begin recycling programs in their communities.

Links

• Invest now in THP’s work to call forth a sustainable end to chronic hunger and extreme poverty on our planet.
• Find out more about how our Hunger Project partners work to end their own hunger while protecting their natural environment.
• Find out more about Rio+20.

The Hunger Project joined the international community in celebrating International Women's Day (March 8) 2012. This year, the United Nations theme was especially close to our heart: Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty. As one of its fundamental principles, The Hunger Project firmly believes that it is absolutely essential to cause a society-wide change towards gender equality in order to end hunger and poverty.

Check out the highlights from the International Women's Day celebrations in our programs around the world:

• THP-Ghana celebrated International Women's Day with an inspirational forum for selected rural Junior High school girls. Girls attended from 22 schools in the three epicenters in Kwahu West Municipality and women leaders holding various key positions shared various challenges they had to go through as women to reach the positions they occupy. They also discussed opportunities available to these girls as well as the task ahead: to grow into the women leaders of the future who help develop their families, communities, the country and the world as a whole. A total of 327 people made up of 269 Junior High School girls, 41 women and 17 men participated in the forum. Read more about THP-Ghana's celebration, including highlights of the girls' discussion of the challenges and solutions they see for their future role as women leaders.
• THP-Ethiopia celebrated International Women's Day at Machakel Epicenter, where 150 women, men and children participated in a day of activities. One activity was an experience-sharing visit, where participants visited a model community where gender equality is practiced and where hard work, peace and love are considered the center of their philosophy of life. The visitors witnessed that the lifestyle of the community as a whole specially focused on equality among women and men members in work division and rights. One of the slogans the community displayed on the wall of their meeting hall reads as follows: "Doing a women's job does not change my sex; it changes my ignorance."  Read more about THP-Ethiopia's 2012 International Women's Day celebrations.
• Check out photos of THP-Burkina Faso's celebration of International Women's Day with two conferences, one on March 6 at Sapouy Epicenter and one on March 7 at Bissiga Epicenter.
• Read THP-Mexico's statement on International Women's Day (in Spanish).

A letter from one of our partners in Benin:

My name is Clémentine Sèbio. I am 42 years old and married with six children. I live in Gnonfihoué, a partner village of Dékpo Epicenter [with The Hunger Project-Benin].

I would like to tell you that I have much hope for the upcoming years to increase my harvest. As you probably know, we, as women, could only have limited access to land for our own farming. And we used to do with that. But, soil fertility decreases year after year. We women are always the first exposed to decreased harvests stemming from poor soil.

[Following agricultural training at the epicenter,] we opted for collecting household wastes to fertilize our lands. We would use baskets and other receptacles and then carry the waste products on our heads over the land, scattering them as we went. That way, the wastes are only spread on very limited plots. We see a significant difference compared to plots without wastes.

In addition, we know from experience that chemical fertilizers, when used, induce expected results only when organic matters are present in the soil!

Now, with the epicenter initiative “Clean Villages, Fertile Farms,” I am hopeful that I will have better harvests because I can use the services of the epicenter youth partners, who have been supported by THP-Benin in obtaining a motorbike equipped with a rickshaw. This will definitely make the waste transport easier. I’m sure that this will improve food production on my three ‘kanti’ plot (1 kanti = 400 square meters) during the next agricultural season.

Learn More

• THP-Benin
• Meet other partners in Africa, South Asia and Latin America

Simona belongs to the village of Morelos in the municipality of San Miguel El Grande, Sierra Mixteca, Oaxaca, México. She is 46 years old, strong and has a profound, penetrating gaze. Simona is considered a leader among the women in her village, but it has not always been that way. Simona once used to look down in the presence of men, especially in the presence of her husband, Andrés Aparicio.

Simona and Andrés have been married for more than 25 years. Andrés learned to make furniture and sold his wares in San Miguel El Grande while Simona took care of their children and harvested vegetables – onions, lettuce and radishes – on their small plot of land. The farming went well for a time, until a scarcity of water made it impossible for Simona to continue harvesting. To supplement their income, Andrés decided to include Simona in the furniture sales. Following the instructions of her husband, she accompanied him to San Miguel El Grande and, like she assumed all wives should, she did “what my husband told me to do.”

The Hunger Project (THP)-México arrived in Simona’s village of Morelos in 2010. From the very beginning, Simona was present in every THP workshop. It took a few days for her to gain confidence and give an opinion on issues that mattered to her, but gradually she was able to express her feelings, discovering that these feelings where very similar as the ones of other women in the village. Now she feels safer and more united with the women and the men of her village. At home, Simona’s relationship with her husband is now one of mutual respect. "Now I realize that my husband supports me, and I support him as equals,” she said.

In particular, Simona appreciates the health brigades that try to eradicate the prevailing alcohol problems in her village. 

"The health brigades helped a lot. Before these, the women and the men drink a lot, had discussions, did not understand health care. But now everything is changing a little bit."

Simona is excited when she talks about students visit from the Tecnologico of Monterrey, in June of 2011. Students heard that one of the priorities of the community was the efficient use of water, so they took samples of it to determine its quality and assess how the community could make a better use of this valuable resource.

"If the students tell us how we can make better use of the water, perhaps we can return to harvesting our own food," Simona said.

As she was being interviews, it began to rain on the village. Simona smiles and prepares to go for her clothes that were drying in the sun. Before she leaves says to us:

"With the support of THP I realize that we don’t build just furniture, now we build our future and the future of our children."

Learn More

• Invest in our partners like Simona.
• THP-Mexico
• Meet other partners in Africa, South Asia and Latin America

International Women's Day, March 8, 2012 - The government of India has approved the creation of a high-level Committee on the Status of Women to be Chaired by long-time women's advocate, Justice Ruma Pal. The Committee is charged with undertaking a comprehensive study of changes in the status of women in India since 1989. Based on this contemporary assessment of women’s needs, the Committee will propose appropriate policy interventions to be made by the Indian government.

It is with great pride that we announce the appointment of The Hunger Project-India's own Rita Sarin as a key member of this Committee. Rita's role as Vice President and Country Director of The Hunger Project-India has been invaluable and we are delighted that she has been recognized as making a significant contribution to the status of women in India.

About the current, growing status of women in India, Rita had this to say: "India is on a threshold of new revolution with over 1.2 million rural women elected to village councils. Their leadership is transformational in bringing basic health, education, drinking water and clean environment to all people in the villages of India."

Learn More

• THP-India Country Director, Rita Sarin
• THP's work in India
• THP and International Women's Day around the world

Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty

“We are strong. We are resilient. We are not vulnerable. We find ourselves in vulnerable situations.” – Isatou Jallow, Chief, Women, Children and Gender, World Food Programme during a panel on 1,000 Days: Improving the Nutrition of Rural Women during the 56th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

The Hunger Project joins the international community in celebrating International Women's Day on March 8. This year, the United Nations theme is especially close to our heart: Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty. As one of its fundamental principles, The Hunger Project firmly believes that it is absolutely essential to cause a society-wide change towards gender equality in order to end hunger and poverty.

Throughout the developing world, women are the primary caregivers for their families. Rural women grow the majority of the food produced for household consumption. They are intensively involved in food processing. They collect cooking fuel and water. They prepare and serve meals, ensuring that their families' daily food requirements are met. Despite this critical role that women play in food security, rural women are systematically denied the resources, information and freedom of action to fulfill this responsibility.

Women and girls are less likely to attend school than men. They have less access to credit, agricultural extension services and land ownership. They have little, if any, voice in decision-making. The disparity between what women do, and the resources they have, is staggering.

Despite the fact that women in developing countries provide nearly 70 percent of the agricultural labor, they continue to account for over 60 percent of the world’s hungry.

Yet, we know that when women are empowered, their families are healthier, more children go to school, agricultural productivity improves and incomes increase. Our programs support women and build their capacity as leaders and key changes agents. After participating in Hunger Project programs, women throughout Africa, South Asia and Latin America are improving education, health and livelihoods in their communities. They are visible role models, inspiring countless women in thousands of villages.

We are thrilled that the undeniable need to empower rural women is in the spotlight this International Women’s Day, and that issues of gender equality are now being championed by governments, international agencies and civil society throughout the world. As Hillary Clinton says, “it’s not only the right thing to do. It’s clearly the smart thing as well.”

Read more about how The Hunger Project works to empower women leaders.

What You Can Do this International Women's Day:

• Join us in New York City as we co-host, together with a number of other organizations, including Oxfam Action Corps, a celebration of International Women’s Day.
• Not in NYC? Find an International Women's Day event in your area.
• Visit the UN International Women’s Day page.
• Read our 2010 Fact Sheet on Gender, Nutrition and Agriculture, co-authored with the Bread for the World Institute.
• Invest in THP's work to empower women worldwide.

Featured Links

• John Coonrod Named U.S. Public Delegate to the 56th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women
• MDG 3: Achieving Gender Equality
• Empowering Women as Key Change Agents
• Microfinance Program in Africa
• Strengthening Elected Women Leaders in India
• Celebrating Girl Children in Bangladesh
• THP Celebrates 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day in 2011

February 27, 2012 will be marked as an historical day in the community of Kachindamoto in Malawi as the day they witnessed the inauguration of their epicenter which has brought a sigh of relief to the community’s hardships.

The ceremony was graced by board members from Hunger Project investor the Ribbink Foundation and their families, as well as distinguished guests from local government including the District Health Officer (DHO) of the Dedza District, Senior Chief of Kachindamoto and the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area. Over 1,000 people from partner villages participated in the event.

The day's events included: visits to two partners’ households to hear firsthand information on progress being made, inspection of the epicenter premises, and traditional dances and speeches. Members of the media were also present and the event was broadcast on Malawi’s National Television as well as Zodiak Radio Station and in the Daily Times newspaper.

The Country Director of The Hunger Project-Malawi, Rowlands Kaotcha, gave a brief background of Kachindamoto Epicenter. Initiated in 2008, the epicenter has a total population of 10,950, reaching people from across 28 villages.

Prior to the inauguration, the community had rolled out the following projects: food security, microfinance, nursery school education, and HIV/AIDS and gender programs.

In their respective speeches, the speakers, who included THP-Malawi National Advisory Council representative, Senior Chief Kachindamoto, MP Hon. Chikaonda and DHO Mrs. Bessie Phiri were thankful to the Ribbink Foundation for funding the epicenter as this will help restore women’s dignity in the region. This was made in reference to the health facility, which, the Senior Chief said, had brought health services to their vicinity (the nearest government heath center is miles away). Coincidently, the epicenter’s health services opened their doors on this very same day, which the DHO said would, among other activities, help to achieve the milestone of reducing neonatal deaths, which are very high in the district at 162 deaths per every 1,000 live births.

In her speech, Nienke, who was the guest of honor during the ceremony, thanked the Senior Chief and the entire community for their commitment to the construction of the epicenter. She said the foundation members were impressed with what they saw and thanked the government of Malawi and THP-Malawi for their hard work towards the achievement witnessed on the day.

Read the article in the Daily Times.

Learn more about our work in Malawi.