Women and EU rural development policy

EESC Open hearing11 May 2012

Agata Zdanowicz- DG AGRI unit E4

The structure of the presentation

1) Background: EU Strategy for equality between women and men 2010-2015

2) Employment of women in rural areas: some statistics

3) Women in agriculture

4) Gender mainstreaming in the RD policy in 2007/2013

5) Gender mainstreaming in the future policies

EU strategy for equality between women and men 2010-2015

Key actions in 6 priority areas:

1) Equal economic independence

2) Equal pay for equal work and work of equal value

3) Equality in decision-making

4) Dignity, integrity and an end to gender-based violence

5) Gender equality in external actions

6) Horizontal issues

(Adopted by the Commission September 2010)

Employment in rural areas

• EU27 employment rate in rural areas has fallen down in the last 3 years – from 70.4% in 2008 to 68.6% in 2010 (financial and economic crisis in 2008)

• Quarterly GDP growth in rural areas in 2010 showed some positive signs - 0.8% in Q1-2011; but remains below 1% for the Union

• Employment rates of women continue to be much lower than those for men (61.9% versus 74.9% for Q1-2011)

Source: Commission Staff Working document on employment and growth in rural areas, 2011

5

Employment of women in agriculture

The Farm Structure Survey 2007 data are still the most recent figures available.

• Women represent 42% of all agricultural workersEU-12 (47%) compared to the EU-15 (38%)

• More than 1/3 of women was working in agriculture are farm holders, (half of the proportion for males)

• A significant number of women work in agriculture as spouse of the holder (about 44%)

• Presence of women varies with the according to the economic size of the farm holding

Women in agriculture 1/2

Agricultural labour force by sex of worker in EU - 2007

Females

Males

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%LT LV EE

HU PT

PL

RO SI

SK

BG AT

EU

-27

GR IT

CY CZ

DE

SE LU NL

UK

BE FI

ES

FR

DK IE MT

Source: Eurostat, Source: Eurostat, FarmFarm Structure Survey, 2007 Structure Survey, 2007

Women in agriculture 2/2Agricultural labour force - M and F - by economic potential of the farm in EU-27 - 2007

Females

Males

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Less than 1 From 1 toless than 2

From 2 toless than 4

From 4 toless than 8

From 8 toless than 16

From 16 toless than 40

From 40 toless than

100

From 100 toless than

250

250 or more

Economic size class is measured in economic size units (1 ESU = 1.200 euros)

Source: Eurostat, Source: Eurostat, FarmFarm Structure Survey, 2007 Structure Survey, 2007

Role of women on the farm

Family labour force

Non family labour force

24.827.070

Sole holdersSpouses of sole

holders

Other family members of sole

holders

13.441.210 6.128.820 5.257.010 1.842.330

28.7% F28.7% F 80.1% F80.1% F 36.7% F36.7% F 27.9% F27.9% F

71.3% M 19.9% M 63.3% M 72.1% M

EU-27 agricultural labour force in 2007

Source: Eurostat, Source: Eurostat, FarmFarm Structure Survey, 2007 Structure Survey, 2007

Role of women on the farm - trends

• 28.7% of EU-27 farm holders are women

• Pre-1990 Member States: increase from 19% to 27% of total farm holders between 1990 and 2007

Female farm holders (as % of total farm holders) in EU - 2007

EU-27

EU-15

EU-12

20%

25%

30%

35%

2003 2005 2007

Source: Eurostat, Source: Eurostat, FarmFarm Structure Survey, 2007 Structure Survey, 2007

Gender mainstreaming in the EU RD Policy 2007-2013 (1/3)

• The principle of non-discrimination is strongly embedded into the EU rural development legislation (in line with Articles 2 and 3 of the EC Treaty)

• The Rural Development policy addresses equality between men and women at different stages of the policy development and implementation:

• Community Strategic Guidelines• Rural Development Regulation• Programming principles• Monitoring and evaluation

Gender mainstreaming in the EU RD Policy 2007-2013 (2/3)

Common Strategic Guidelines (priorities for RD on EU level) • demands that the particular needs of women in rural areas

are embedded in the programming period 2007-2013

Rural Development Regulation (EC) N° 1698/2005 (EAFRD): • Article 8: "Member States and the Commission shall promote

equality between men and women and shall ensure that any discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation is prevented during the various stages of programme implementation."

Gender mainstreaming in the EU RD Policy2007-2013 (3/3)

Programming requirements for the Member States

• Equality principle and the needs of women to be taken into account in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the programmes

Monitoring and evaluation

• Gender specific indicators for a number of measures are provided by Member States in their annual progress reports starting from the reporting year 2008

Some indicator data from annual reports 2010 (1/3)

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

Men Women

Number of participantsmeasure 111 (training)

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

112 121

Men

Women

Number of beneficiaries: measure 112: young farmer

measure 121: on-farm investment

Some indicator data from annual reports 2010 (2/3)

Number of beneficiaries: Axis 3 measures:311: on-farm diversification

312: creation of micro and small enterprises331: training and information

341: skills acquisition and animation for local development strategies

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

311 312 331 341

Men

Women

Some indicator data from annual reports 2010 (3/3)

Number of beneficiaries for measure 121 by Member State (incomplete data)

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

AT ES FR BE IE SE EE DE IT SI LV RO LT PL NL DK FI

Men

Women

17

Rural development in a new framework

Common Strategic Framework (CSF) – covering the EAFRD, ERDF, ESF, Cohesion Fund and EMFF, and reflecting EU2020 through common

thematic objectives to be addressed by key actions for each of the funds

Partnership Contract – national document outlining the intended use of the funds in the pursuit of EU2020 objectives

Rural development policy: EAFRD

Other CSF funds(ERDF, ESF, CF, EMFF)

Rural Development Programme(s)

Europe 2020 strategy

Promoting social inclusion,

poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas

Enhancingcompetitivenessof all types of

agriculture and farm viability

Promotingfood chain

organisation and risk

management in agriculture

Restoring, preserving and

enhancing ecosystems

dependent on agriculture and

forestry

Promoting resource efficiency and

supporting the shift towards a low carbon and climate resilient

economy in agriculture, food

and forestry sectors

Fosteringknowledge

transfer and Innovation in agriculture,forestry and rural areas

Pri

ori

tie

s

Innovation, Environment and Climate Change as cross-cutting objectives

18

6. Social inclusion, poverty reduction

and economic development in rural areas

2. Competitivenessof all types of

agriculture and farm viability

3. Food chain organisation and risk management

4. Restoring, preserving and

enhancing ecosystems

5. Resource efficiencyand shift towards a

low carbon and climate resilient

economy

1. Knowledge transfer and Innovation

Innovation, Climate Change and Environment as cross-cutting objectives

Rural development priorities

Focus areas

(a) fostering innovation and the knowledge base in rural areas(b) strengthening the links between agriculture and forestry and research and innovation (c) fostering lifelong learning and vocational training in the agricultural and forestry sectors

(a) facilitating restructuring of farms facing major structural problems, notably farms with a low degree of market participation, market-oriented farms in particular sectors and farms in need of agricultural diversification(b) facilitating generational renewal in the agricultural sector

(a) better integrating primary producers into the food chain through quality schemes, promotion in local markets and short supply circuits, producer groups and inter-branch organisations(b) supporting farm risk management

(a) restoring and preserving biodiversity, including in Natura 2000 areas and HNV farming, and the state of European landscapes(b) improving water management (c) improving soil management

(a) increasing efficiency in water use by agriculture(b) increasing efficiency in energy use in agriculture and food processing(c) facilitating the supply and use of renewable sources of energy, of by-products, wastes, residues and other non food raw material for purposes of the bio-economy(d) reducing nitrous oxide and methane emissions from agriculture(e) fostering carbon sequestration in agriculture and forestry

(a) facilitating diversification, creation of new small enterprises and job creation(b) fostering local development in rural areas(c) enhancing accessibility to, use and quality of information and communication technologies (ICT) in rural areas

Gender mainstreaming: future Rural Development policy (1/4)

• Stimulation of gender mainstreaming crucial for building on human and social potential of rural areas

General principles:

• Article 7 of the proposed common provision regulation for five funds states the horizontal principle of the promotion of equality between man and women and non-discrimination all Common Strategic Framework (CSF) funds

• The Code of conduct on partnership in CSF (under elaboration): gender equality and the involvement of women a basic principle

• Ex-ante conditionality on gender equality:

respect of equality and addressing gender related issues a fundamental precondition for approval of programmes

• Partnership Contract and each programme: Member States shall organise a partnership also with bodies responsible for promoting equality and non-discrimination (Art 5, paragraph 1 c)

• Requirements on representation of women and minority groups in the policy implementation cycle

Gender mainstreaming: future Rural Development policy (2/4)

• Several tools are provided that can be used to promote gender equality: • training and knowledge transfer measures• co-operation measures• farm and business development support• farm relief or access to credit/ financial engineering• LEADER

• Managing Authorities as well as Local Action Groups (LAGs) have the possibility to stimulate and prioritise women issues in the rural socio-economic life

Gender mainstreaming: future Rural Development policy (3/4)

We need more data on the situation of women in rural areas - the Commission sees the usefulness of it

Member States' calls for substantive simplification of reporting requirements – it is difficult to introduce any additional data collection requirements

European Network for Rural Development and its constituent national networks can be used to identify and exchange further examples and data on projects promoting gender mainstreaming in rural areas

Gender mainstreaming in rural development policy:

data collection needs

As a conclusion…

European Union needs gender mainstreaming to stay competitive, and to reach its Europe 2020 targets

Efforts to enhance the overall situation of women is part of the policy and legal framework for post-2013, already reflecting the objectives set in the strategy on gender equality for 2010-2015

Thank you!