Joint Programme on Accelerating Progress Towards Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment

UN Joint Programme on Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment

The Joint Programme on Accelerating Progress Towards Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment (JP RWEE) is a global initiative with an overarching goal to secure rural women’s livelihoods, rights and resilience in the context of sustainable development, Agenda 2030 and the SDGs.

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Focus Areas

Outcome 1: Food security and nutrition. Family of three cooking food together.

Improve food security and nutrition for rural women and their households and contribute to equitable and sustainable food systems

Outcome 2: Income, decent work and economic autonomy. A woman farmer shows what she caries in her saving box.

Increase rural women’s income, decent work and economic autonomy to secure their livelihoods and build resilience

Outcome 3: Improving women's voice and agency. A group of four women having a conversation.

Increase rural women’s voice and agency for full and equal participation and leadership in their households, communities, organizations and governance systems

Outcome 4: Strengthen gender-response legal frameworks, policies and institutions. A woman holding a certificate.

Strengthen gender-response legal frameworks, policies and institutions to create an enabling environment for rural women to secure their livelihoods, rights and resilience

Key results

Phase I of the JP RWEE was implemented from 2014 to 2021 in Ethiopia, Guatemala, Liberia, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Niger and Rwanda and reached almost 80,000 beneficiaries and over 400,000 household members. The programme delivered strong results, including:

82% average increase in production

by rural women

> USD 3,600,000 generated from sales

at the individual and group levels

On average 77% of Producer Organizations

led by rural women

>USD 1,900,00 mobilized

through savings and loan schemes

Phase II

Building on these achievements, the JP RWEE model proved successful and was expanded into Phase II in 2022, scaling up to new countries and contexts. Phase II (2022-2027) is currently at its midpoint, operating in Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Tanzania, Tunisia, and the Pacific Islands (Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tonga). The current results are:

+57% women’s agricultural productivity increase