African First Ladies Canvass Support for Rural Women

The African First Ladies Peace Mission has saluted African rural women for their resilience in the face of COVID-19, and called for more support to the women for faster recovery of rural economies and livelihoods. The Mission, where Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, is currently the Acting President, equally solicited global support to African governments in their relentless efforts to end insurgency on the continent, noting that insurgency had taken tolls on the welfare and livelihoods of the rural communities, especially women, girls, and children.

This was contained in statement by the Special Assistant to the President on African First Ladies Peace Mission, Dr. Mairo Al-Makura, on the occasion of the 2020 International Day of Rural Women themed “Building rural women’s resilience in the wake of COVID-19. “On the occasion of the 2020 International Day for Rural Women, the African First Ladies Peace Mission salutes the resilience of the African rural women, especially in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the need for the socio-economic empowerment of the rural women, which the AFLPM has always joined the United Nations and other stakeholders to advocate.

“Despite being seriously disadvantaged in access to land, agricultural assets and credits, education, market, and despite the yawning gender pay gap, African rural women and girls have continued to showcase their resilience in the sustenance of their families and provision of care during this challenging period.

“The AFLPM believes that the continent can build back better from the rubbles of the pandemic by strengthening rural women’s sustainable livelihoods and wellbeing.