International Day for Rural Women (Rural Women’s Day)

As the lifespan of the blue planet earth in the solar system is getting more mature, the living standard of people on the earth is improving with the advancing technologies. More and more people around the world are interested in ensuring freedom, human rights and gender equality. Despite the recent advancement, however, there are still a lack of the awareness of gender equality in some parts of the world such as rural areas.

Unlike the urban population, the majority of people living in rural areas run agriculture and livestock farming and contribute to the economy. Women in rural areas play a crucial role in supporting the agriculture sector. In developing countries, women constitute approximately 43% of the agriculture labor force, varying from 20% in Latin America to nearly 50% in East and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2011). The agriculture sector is one of the important sectors of the Myanmar’s economy; the sector normally contributes nearly one-third of the country’s GDP and employs two-thirds of the population (International Trade Administration 2022).

Rural women in Myanmar take care of all parts of the agriculture and livestock farming processes. Their activities typically include cultivating and producing crops, processing and preparing food and distributing food products, which support their families, communities and the country. Despite the fact, the essential role of rural women in the food supply chain system and household and community development is not often being recognised. They tend to face challenges such as a disproportionate share of wages, gender discrimination, unequal law and practices between genders and violence against women. The discrimination of women by the society may lead into more poverty and the lower standard of living in future generations since studies have demonstrated that women largely contribute to better education and guidance of their children.

Hence, today “International Day for Rural Women” (15 October) is a very special day for all of us to improve the awareness of gender equality especially in rural areas. The theme of the Day is “Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All”, highlighting the essential role that rural women and girls play in the food systems of the world. The International Day of Rural Women was created in 1995 to recognise the critical role and contribution of rural women in enhancing agricultural, rural development, improving food security and eliminating rural poverty by civil society organizations at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Later it was declared an official UN Day in 2007 by the UN General Assembly.

We believe the microfinance sector plays a critical role in the women empowerment through affordable loans solving the difficulties rural women face such as financing, which leads to the alleviation of poverty. ASGB provides affordable financial products to our clients where women from countryside account for 74% of our clients. On this special day, we would like to express our gratitude to our female clients living in rural areas.

Moreover, we have recently launched “Agriculture Loan” with the aim to support the development of the Myanmar’s agriculture sector and contribute to the food supply and security for people in the country. In some way, we believe that the new loan will further contribute to the empowerment of rural women working in the agriculture sector.

Let’s spread the awareness and celebrate rural women for the better society.

“Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another.
We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.”
– Serena Williams.

Check out our female client’s success stories:

Customer Success Story | ASG Bancorp Microfinance (the-asgroup.com.mm)

About ASG Bancorp Microfinance Limited

ASG Bancorp Microfinance Limited (ASGB), as part of the Asia Sustainability Group, was founded in 2016, provide individuals and entrepreneurs in Myanmar with useful and affordable financial services that meet their needs in the way they need and when they need. Our vision is to become the most efficient and innovative microfinance institution in Myanmar and provide the best service, most flexibility and most client-orientated financial services.

Headquarter Address

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2011, March 7). Closing the gender gap in agriculture.
https://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/52011/icode/#:~:text=Women%20make%20up%20on%20average%2043%20percent%20of,in%20some%20countries%20and%20varies%20greatly%20within%20countries.

Official Website of the International Trade Administration (2022, July 28). Burma – Country Commercial Guide.
https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/burma-agriculture#:~:text=Burma’s%20agricultural%20exports%20include%20rice,rubber%2C%20vegetables%2C%20and%20fruits