United Nations, June 17 (Prensa Latina) We depend on the Earth to survive and; We are dealing with it as if it were a quagmire,” said the head of the United Nations, António Guterres, today on World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.
Women’s rights to land are the focus of the event, which is celebrated on June 17 all over the world under the theme: Women. your lands. your rights
In a video message, Guterres urged all governments to remove legal barriers that prevent them from owning land and to involve them in policy-making, thus promoting gender equality.
Women represent nearly half of the global agricultural workforce, but discriminatory practices related to farm tenure, access to credit, equal pay, and decision-making often prevent their participation in caring for the land, added the UN chief,
This means that unsustainable farming practices are eroding soil 100 times faster than nature can restore it.
He said that up to 40 percent of the planet’s land is already degraded, endangering food production, threatening biodiversity and exacerbating the climate crisis, considering it a situation that affects women and men above all, girls.
They suffer disproportionately from food shortages, water scarcity and forced migration resulting from the mistreatment of the land. He warned that, despite this, they are the ones who have the least control over the situation.
Guterres called for helping women play their part in protecting “our most valuable resource” to end land degradation by 2030.
She added that if women and girls are given equal opportunities, they can increase agricultural productivity, restore land and increase resilience to drought.
L/CRC
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