United Nations Commission on the Status of Women 2018

The theme for the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women 2018 is: Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls.

Mothers’ Union attends the Commission on the Status of Women in March each year, with staff and members from around the world. During the Commission we represent the views and issues of concern to our worldwide membership, to national Governments and international institutions, with the aim of influencing Governments around the world to make laws and policies which reflect the true needs of women.

This year, the theme is about gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls. As a member led movement, Mothers’ Union always seeks the views of our membership, to make sure that we truly are representing you, and the issues of concern for you.

We need all the information we can get, so please answer these questions with as much detail as you can. Your answers will be used to inform our statement to next years commission, which will be published in September. They will also direct our work, and our calls for action from Governments.

You can answer these questions either as an individual, or as a group activity together (for example in a literacy circle or at a branch meeting).

If you would rather let us know your thoughts by email or post, please send them to: policy@mothersunion.org, or to: Mary Sumner House, 24 Tufton Street, London, SW1P 3RB.

Please make sure that all responses are sent back to us by 15th September at the latest.

Thank you in advance!

1. Which Mothers' Union Province are you from?

2. What is your name? (Optional)

3. In your opinion, what are the key issues and challenges facing rural communities in your country?

4. In your opinion, what are the unique issues and challenges particularly facing women, women’s empowerment and gender equality in rural communities in your country? Please give examples if you have them.

5. Please rank the top five issues and challenges facing rural women in your country, which are of most concern to you (if any):

Child mortality
Conflict
Depression and suicide
Disability
Early marriage
Education of girls
Exclusion from decision making roles/lack of participation
Food insecurity
Gender based violence
Harmful cultural practices
Human Trafficking/modern day slavery
Lack of education/illiteracy
Lack of equality with men
Lack of services and infrastructure (i.e. health facilities, banks, postal services)
Loneliness and isolation
Malnutrition
Maternal health
Poverty
Unequal laws (e.g. land rights, inability to inherit, rights of widows etc)

Other (Please specify)

6. What do you think the root causes of the issues identified above are? Please explain and give examples where possible?

7. In your opinion which factors make the experiences of rural women in your country worse?

8. Are there particular groups of rural women who are more marginalised or excluded in your country? Please state which, and give examples where possible.

9. In your opinion, what are the unique opportunities and benefits available to rural women in your country? Please give examples.

10. What work (if any) is your Mothers’ Union doing to address the issues affecting rural women? Please give examples.

11. Are there any other key issues around the experiences of rural women that you feel should be included in Mothers’ Union’s representation to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women 2018?