Media Advisory: Empowering Rural Women for Food and Nutrition Security

You are cordially invited to an interactive luncheon co-hosted by the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the Government of Bangladesh and the Netherlands Mission to the United Nations. The discussion will be moderated by award-winning ABC News anchor Christiane Amanpour and will focus on the urgent need to empower rural women for food and nutrition security. Open to the press.

WHAT: Empowering Rural Women for Food and Nutrition Security

WHEN: Thursday 22 September 2011, 12:30-14:00 EDT
12pm open lunch buffet served

WHERE: Sentry Centers, 730 3rd Avenue (between 45th and 46th streets), Teachers Building/TIAA CREF, Greenough Boardroom, 27th Floor

WHO:

• Keynote Speaker: Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh
• Aloisea Inyumba, Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Rwanda
• Anne Itto, farmer and former Caretaker Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, South Sudan
• Josette Sheeran, Executive Director, World Food Programme
• Michelle Bachelet, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN Women
• Paul Polman, Chief Executive Officer, Unilever
• Reema Nanavaty, Director, Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), India
• Yoka Brandt, Director General for International Cooperation, the Netherlands

Background:

• Gender inequality is a major cause and effect of hunger and poverty.
• It is estimated that 60 percent of chronically hungry people are women and girls.
• Countries with the highest levels of hunger also have the commensurate levels of gender inequality.
• Realizing the potential of rural women represents a major opportunity to simultaneously boost food and nutrition security, empower rural women and promote economic development and social welfare.
• It is estimated that the productivity gains from ensuring equal access to fertilizers, seeds and tools for women could reduce the number of hungry people by between 100 and 150 million.

To attend: RSVP to Dena Gudaitis, +1 646 556-6914, dena.gudaitis[at]wfp.org. Journalists not UN-accredited will need to preregister with Dena Gudaitis.

Media Contacts:

• Bettina Luescher, WFP, +1 646 556-6909, bettina.luescher[at]wfp.org
• Oisika Chakrabarti, UN Women, +1 646 781-4522, oisika.chakrabarti[at]unwomen.org