High-level consultation workshop on
Gender Equality in Agrifood Systems
3 November 2025 – Online
1. Background
Gender equality in agrifood systems is a cornerstone of sustainable development, food security, and inclusive
economic growth. Yet, women and girls continue to encounter persistent barriers in agriculture and food
systems—limited access to land, finance, extension services, markets, and decision-making spaces. These
disparities not only undermine women’s rights, but also weaken the productivity and resilience of agrifood
systems, with repercussions for communities and national economies.
Parliamentarians hold a decisive role in closing these gaps. Through gender-responsive legislation, equitable
budget allocation, effective oversight, and inclusive representation, parliaments can drive transformative
change. The United Nations General Assembly, through resolution A/RES/77/159, underscores this pivotal
role, recognizing that parliaments are central to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
particularly SDG 5 on gender equality, and to ensuring agrifood systems that deliver food security and
nutrition for all.
FAO has long partnered with parliamentarians at national, regional, and global levels to strengthen their
capacity to lead this agenda—by raising awareness, fostering knowledge exchange, supporting legislative
processes, and providing technical guidance for mainstreaming gender equality in agrifood systems. A
milestone in this collaboration was the Second Global Parliamentary Summit Against Hunger and Malnutrition
(2023), which endorsed the Global Parliamentary Pact Against Hunger and Malnutrition, reaffirming the
commitment of parliamentarians to building sustainable, inclusive, and equitable agrifood systems with a
strong gender lens.
Building on this momentum, FAO has developed a
Handbook for Parliamentarians on Gender Equality in
Agrifood Systems.
Conceived as a practical tool, the handbook brings together evidence-based good
practices, policy instruments, and actionable recommendations to support parliamentarians in integrating
gender perspectives across their legislative, budgetary, oversight, and representation functions.
This high-level consultation will provide parliamentarians with the opportunity to review and validate the
handbook, ensuring that its recommendations are both relevant and actionable. It will also invite
parliamentarians to champion the dissemination and use of the handbook at national, regional, and global
levels, strengthening collective efforts to accelerate gender equality and transform agrifood systems for the
benefit of all.
2. Objectives of the webinar
The consultation webinar aims to:
•
Present the draft handbook and its content;
•
Gather parliamentarians’ feedback to ensure relevance, clarity, and regional applicability;
•
Validate key recommendations and the roadmap for completion;
•
Discuss opportunities for dissemination and uptake of the handbook at national and regional levels.
Participants are kindly requested to review the draft handbook sections prior to the webinar
to allow for
focused and productive discussions.
Participants will be expected to:
•
Review draft handbook sections prior to the webinar;
•
Engage in discussions during thematic and breakout sessions;
•
Provide input on content and recommendations;