All too often, the vital contribution of women to the management of biological resources, and to economic production generally, has been misunderstood, ignored, or underestimated.
Women are the sole breadwinners in one third of all households in the world.
In poor families with two adults, more than half of the available income is from the labor of women and children. Furthermore, women direct comparatively more of their earnings to meet basic needs. With primary responsibility for providing their families with food, water, fuel, medicines, fibers, fodder and other products, as well as often for cash income, women rely on a healthy and diverse ecosystem. As a result, rural women are often the most knowledgeable about the patterns and uses of local biodiversity. Yet, these same people are often denied access to land and resources.