United Nations, June 17 (Prensa Latina) We depend on the land for survival and; However, we treat it like a swamp, UN chief Antonio Guterres said today on World Day to Combat Desertification and Droughts.
The rights of women on land are the focus of the event, which will be celebrated worldwide on June 17 under the motto “Woman”. your lands. your rights
In a video message, Guterres called on all governments to remove legal barriers preventing them from owning land and to engage them in policy-making to promote gender equality.
Almost half of the world’s agricultural workforce is women, but discriminatory practices related to land ownership, access to credit, equal pay and decision-making processes often prevent them from taking part in cultivating the land, the UN chief added.
This meant that unsustainable agricultural practices are eroding soils 100 times faster than nature can restore them.
Up to 40 percent of the planet’s land area is already degraded, threatening food production, endangering biodiversity and exacerbating the climate crisis, he said, as it is a situation that primarily affects women and men. the girls.
They suffer disproportionately from food shortages, water shortages and forced migration due to the mistreatment of the land. Yet they are the ones least in control of the situation, he warned.
Guterres urged women to play their role in protecting “our most precious resource” to end land degradation by 2030.
She added that with equal access, women and girls could increase agricultural productivity, restore land and increase drought resilience.
lam/crc