It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance. Kofi Annan One of the greatest obstacles to ending hunger is the severe subjugation, marginalization and disempowerment of women in many developing countries. Yet through laws, customs and traditions, women are systematically denied the resources, information and freedom of action they need to carry out their responsibilities. There are three distinct ways in which ending gender discrimination is critical to ending hunger. Women s well-being is key to the overall health of a society.
Women often eat last and least, even when pregnant and nursing.
Undernourished women give birth to undernourished children, and this cycle continues. Women s productivity. Women produce 80 percent of the food in Africa, and more than 50 percent of the farm output in South Asia, yet they are largely denied access to the training, credit, tools and other inputs they need. Women s leadership. Given women s responsibilities, when they have a voice in the decisions that affect their lives, they are key change agents in setting the agenda for development.