As the world observes the  International Day of Rural Women, on the 15th October, the United Nations Secretary General has hailed the contribution of women in development.  ''I welcome the opportunity to pay tribute to the valuable contributions made by rural women, including indigenous women, to agriculture and development,'' he solemnly stated.

He went on to say that the first International Day of Rural Women is especially timely, as it comes in the midst of a world food crisis and global financial turmoil, and on the eve of World Food Day.

In acknowledging the outstanding contribution of rural women in developmental efforts, he noted that they produce more than half of the world's food and provide immeasurable support to local communities.  But he was quick to say that despite the life-saving role they play, these women are seldom adequately appreciated or compensated. ''Women farmers in developing countries do most of the agricultural work, but they own just a tiny fraction of the land.  Disproportionately poor and illiterate, they are rarely included in decision-making that affects their circumstances,'' he said.

To remedy this situation, the UN boss promised that the UN mission would foster the creation of a world where the woman who farms is also a woman with educational opportunities, political access, and a voice at the negotiating table;  ''a woman with a market environment that favours a fair return on her investments of equipment, seeds and labour;  a woman who benefits from the land, credit and new technologies that will increase production,'' he emphasised.

He urged all countries to seize the opportunity they would have next month at the Conference on Financing for Development, in Doha, to put the needs of rural women at the top of the global agenda.  ''By making women active partners in addressing the world's pressing food crisis, we can do much more than solve the immediate problem; we can pave the way for a more secure global future,''he concluded.