Africa: Women's realities need to be considered in trade liberalisation

Food security cannot be discussed without putting it in a wider context of trade liberalization and gender equity and equality, says a conference report from Aprodev, an association of the 17 major development and humanitarian aid organisations in Europe. Households need to be addressed as units embedded in a social, economic and political environment that reinforces or challenges unjust access to and control over resources. Trade agreements are presented as gender-neutral; however trade, and economic policies are formulated within a social context that enables or disables women to gain access to and control over productive resources. Women’s realities, their key role and multiple responsibilities within the household and their communities in securing sustainable livelihoods are ignored at all levels of decision-making; this despite the fact that women are key contributors to food security, producing about 78% of food in most African countries.