On the occasion of the United Nations’ International Day of Rural Women, an international conference was organized on Saturday October 15 in The Hague, the Netherlands. Women on Wings’ co-founder Maria van der Heijden and joint managing director Ronald van het Hof were speakers at the conference.
Global perspective on social impact Indian rural women
The one‐day international conference was jointly organized by the Foundation for Critical Choices for India (FCCI) and the Indian Diaspora Europe (FIDE), in cooperation with Women on Wings. It saw global participation in the various in-depth sessions on Micro-Finance, Healthcare, Education and Local Governance. Ronald: “The audience participated really well in the discussions. We saw a good understanding of the added value of our work that starts post micro-finance. We left the audience with hope for a better future for Indian rural women. Every single new job brings positive change into the life of a rural woman and her family, her children in specific.”
India: largest rural population in 2050
Each year on October 15, the United Nations’ International Day of Rural Women celebrates and honours the role of rural women. It recognizes rural women’s importance in enhancing agricultural and rural development worldwide. According to the ‘2007 revision of World Urbanization Prospects’ by the United Nations, India would continue to have the largest rural population in the world until 2050.
Photography @Brett Cole
