European Commission Directorate-General for Agriculture

Women active in rural development

Assuring the future of rural Europe

A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu.int) and on the Inforegio Website (http://inforegio.cec.eu.int). Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2000 ISBN 92-828-9480-0 European Communities, 2000 Reproduction is authorized provided the source is acknowledged Printed in Belgium
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Contents

Foreword

Introduction

The workforce of women

Sustainable rural development - focussing on women

10

Community support: making the maximum impact

16

The way forward

19

Success stories

20

For further information

23

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Womens vital contribution to rural development Ensuring that women and men have equality of opportunity is an important priority of the European Union. It is also, quite simply, a practical necessity for the viability and sustainability of rural development. To maximise human resources in maintaining the social fabric of rural communities and revitalising local economies, the full involvement of women is vital. This means that equal opportunities must be systematically integrated in the design and implementation of rural development programmes and projects, to ensure that women and men can participate and benefit on equal terms. A better balance has to be achieved between women and men in making decisions that affect the life and economy of rural society, through the active encouragement and involvement of women's associations and networks and the promotion of women into planning and managerial posts. For future recipients of Community support for rural development, the integration of equal opportunities will no longer be a choice, but an obligation. Member States - and candidate countries in their turn - will need to ensure that all Community-supported programmes contribute to greater equality between women and men, particularly in employment, enterprise, education and training, and the reconciliation of professional and family life. This brochure highlights some of the key issues that concern rural women and affect their participation in rural development. It takes a look at the new policy context and at some examples of good practice. The aim is to encourage and inspire those responsible for rural development programmes and projects to take into account the needs and interests of women in rural areas.

Franz Fischler Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development

4 Women active in rural development

Introduction
The rural areas of the European Union are strikingly varied in terms of social and economic structure, geography and culture. Rural women too are not a homogeneous group. They have different roles and occupations, on farms and in family businesses, in employment and in community activities. Their needs and interests differ too, particularly from one age group to another, and depending on the size and composition of their family and age of their children. The economic and social changes that rural areas are undergoing do not affect all women in the same way: offering opportunities to some, to others they bring difficult challenges. Rural economies, particularly those dependent on agriculture, have been affected by the processes of globalisation, leading to the restructuring and decline of the agricultural sector, the growth of the service sector and increased emphasis on technology. In many areas, this has created unprecedented work and employment opportunities, as well as bringing changes in the role and status of women. These changes have also contributed to further shifts in population, with some rural areas close to towns and cities coming under pressure, while many remote areas continue to suffer a decline in population. In some regions of Europe, economic recession and cutbacks in public services have led to further rural decline, remoteness and poor infrastructure. Young people, and above all young women, migrate to the towns and cities in increasing numbers. Despite this trend towards living in towns rather than in rural areas, the latter still offer opportunities and real potential. Surveys show that, in general, rural women have a strong desire to stay in their community and contribute to its development, provided certain requirements are met: employment opportunities in the local area, including part-time jobs; the possibility of gaining work experience and vocational qualifications; local facilities for education and training; business services supportive to womens projects and enterprises; public transport services compatible with working hours; local childcare facilities and social services for the elderly and the sick; supportive public and professional organisations.

n Finland, the proportion of the population living in rural areas has declined overall, but there are also now fewer women than men in rural areas. In 1970, men outnumbered women by 26,000; in 1990, the deficit was 39,000. The proportion of women in rural areas is even lower amongst those between 25 and 44 years of age. The situation is most extreme in remote rural areas where in 1988 the proportion of women in the 25-44 age group was only 40%.

Women are also seeking a better balance in the division of labour in the domestic household, need encouragement for their personal and professional development and more support in their bid to achieve financial independence, and to participate fully in decision-making. The challenge for rural development programmes is to identify the constraints on women's full participation in economic and public life at local level, and to develop specific initiatives in their favour. The following sections highlight the key issues to be tackled and offer some practical solutions to the problems.

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The workforce of women

The rural labour market The recent economic changes highlighted in the introduction are particularly affecting women's participation in the labour market. The most extreme changes are being experienced by women in the Southern Member States, where the labour market has undergone the biggest transformation. Formal employment - often full or part-time factory work in the food processing industry or home-working for textile industries - is replacing unpaid family farm labour. In Italy and Portugal increasing numbers of women are becoming self-employed farm managers. In Spain, casual or seasonal wage-work is a growing feature of female employment in rural areas. Quality employment opportunities are few and far between in most rural areas. Women's employment in low-paid and low-status jobs, where they work below their skills and abilities, is frequent. Increasingly, only temporary or part-time jobs are available. Part-time jobs may suit some women, particularly those with young children, but in general there is a call for employment with better conditions and longer hours.

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n rural Portugal in 1992, women held more tertiary sector jobs than men (53% of the total) but had access only to poorly remunerated jobs, with a low professional status. n Baden-Wrttemberg in Germany, 40% of women in rural areas work in jobs at a level below their qualifications, compared to 29% in urban areas. n rural areas of Denmark, there are relatively more unskilled female workers and fewer skilled female workers and salaried employees than in urban areas.

n the rural areas of Spain in 1998, 48.8% of women aged 16 to 69 were in work, compared to 31.7% for the country as a whole. 13.4% of rural women were classified as family assistants, compared to 1.7% overall. 28.3% of active rural women are engaged in agriculture.

The growing numbers of farms owned by women result mostly from recent developments: their partner seeks off-farm employment to supplement the income from the farm, and its ownership is transferred to the woman. In recent years this has become particularly common in the southern countries of the European Union.

n Spain, the average size of family farms owned by women is 9.9 hectares, compared with 15.5 hectares for male owners. The farm size is again smaller if the woman is the sole owner, on average 5.3 hectares, compared with 11.8 hectares for farms where women are co-owners.

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Other kinds of employment, or self-employment, are gradually replacing farm work. In the core rural areas of Member States with a greater GDP per capita, the tertiary sector is a major employer of clerical and service sector staff, which represents a high percentage of the female workforce.

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n Austrias rural regions, womens share of employment reached 39.2% in 1991, compared with 41.5% for Austria as a whole. More than half the active female population in rural regions was in paid employment. Today, middle-aged women in particular are far more often in paid employment than in previous decades. n 1997, the activity rate of young women in the rural areas of France reached 78%, for the first time matching that of the same age group of women in urban areas. The proportion of active women employed in the tertiary sector in rural areas of France was 72% in 1997, up from 62% in 1990.

Unemployment rates a comparison Generally high in most rural regions, unemployment levels are often higher for women than for men. Cutbacks and centralisation of public and private services are frequent in the northern Member States, while in the South the problem stems more from the decline in traditional manufacturing industries. Unemployment figures, anyway, do not reveal the full number of women seeking work, but only those who are registered unemployed. Many women who have no right to benefits, or who do not register because there are no job opportunities, fall outside the statistics.

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n the 15-24 age group, 34% of women and 19% of men were unemployed in the rural areas of France in 1997, a much greater gap than among the same age group in urban areas. n Finland in 1994, the unemployment rate of women and men in all rural areas was 21% and 20% respectively. In remote rural areas, however, the respective figures were 30% and 25%.

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Women's professional status Women active in family businesses and farms often have no professional status, independent remuneration or separate social security. This situation is almost the norm for couples seeking benefits for their business and family.

n Portugal, the majority of the agricultural workforce is female (54% in 1992). However, only 16.4% of heads of farms were women. Most women work as unpaid, non-qualified assistants. This inequality continued through into the funding of agricultural projects, with only 18.7% of European Community financial support between 1986 and 1992 going to women. Studies of farm women in rural England indicate that: 10% of women in agriculture are farmers in their own right; 60% of the remainder have some involvement in manual or machine work on the farm; a further 20% are involved in administration or helping out when needed; 25% are involved in on-farm businesses other than the main farm enterprise; 18% have off-farm jobs or businesses (a figure which is growing).

n France, 60% of family businesses mainly craft and commercial enterprises are run by a couple. Only 6% of female spouses have the status of joint collaborator, and equally few are employed or associates. The great majority often work more than 39 hours a week, particularly in small commercial businesses, without any legal status or social protection. A true hidden economy.

8 Women active in rural development

Professional time, training

Agriculture, farmers Other active rural women Active urban women

Domestic time

Free time

4h.10 8h.20 5h.00 6h.20 5h.20 6h.20

6h.15 1h.40 5h.50 3h.00 4h.40 3h.40

1h.55 2h.20 2h.30 3h.20 2h.50 3h.40

In France, a national study showed marked differences in the daily employment of time between Women and Men, and between farm, rural and urban men and women.

Working hours stretched to the limit Apart from the multiple roles women usually have as household managers and family carers, as organisers and providers of community services and, not least, in the economy, farm women in particular have the longest working day. The temporary or long-term combination of training and employment with everyday responsibilities is therefore difficult to realise. Farm work The definition of farm work, reflected in official statistics, is mostly confined to the work typically carried out by men, such as manual work and the more visible managerial tasks. The many other jobs associated with the farm business, which women carry out, are often not considered as farm work and thus relegated to the same unrecorded status as caring and housework. Roles in farm and family businesses are often strictly defined, with the administration, accounts and orders being mainly womens tasks.

n the Netherlands, farm women spend on average 50 hours per week doing household and family work and 22 hours a week on farm labour (about 20% of the labour necessary for the farm). In Catalonia in Spain, farm women work on average 77 hours per week.

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Sustainable rural development focussing on women

Integration in decision making Womens contribution to local and community development is significant, but rural women everywhere are in a minority in decision-making and planning, particularly at regional and national levels. This is in part due to womens multiple roles and workload, but is also due to the persistence of traditional views about womens and mens roles in society.

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n rural Spain, the participation of women is high in cultural associations, womens associations and community groups, and is low in professional organisations, co-operatives and trade unions. n Sweden, there are over 3,500 community development associations in rural areas. The active core of the community association movement consists of around 70,000 people, nearly half of whom are women. Women participate strongly and influence the nature of the activities, whereas in leading positions they are a minority. Among the liaison officers of the 3,500 groups, about one-third are women. A less favourable picture is painted by the Federation of Swedish Farmers: in 1995 26% of its members were women, but at national level only 2 of the 22 board members were women (9%). n Ireland, in the first phase of the EU LEADER Initiative, 10% of the directors of the management boards of the 17 local action groups were women. Almost two-thirds of the boards had none or only one female director. Attempts were made to improve the participation of women during the second phase of the Initiative, with groups being required to incorporate gender awareness and gender balance into the operation of their programmes. A specific target for groups is to ensure that, by the conclusion of the programme, at least 40% of board directors are women. By the end of 1996 some progress had been made, but the situation was still not satisfactory, with 19% of board members being women. The best groups had reached a quarter female members. n France, the proportion of rural women participating regularly in a local association increased from 5% in 1967 to 13% in 1988, even slightly higher for farm women at 18%. Between 1994 and 1996, the proportion of women elected to the local councils of rural communes in France increased from 17% to 22%. But, even in 1997, only 5.5% of regional council members were female. The formal, hierarchical model of many organisations is not compatible with the more co-operative approach women tend to adopt, particularly in the community sector. The time needed to get acquainted with formal organisational procedures should not present an obstacle to women's participation.

recent study of the development needs and opportunities of women in agriculture in Cornwall, England, found that some women were put off from joining the National Farmers Union and local farmers groups by the overwhelming proportion of men at events. One woman commented that her husbands hill farmers group was a male bastion () women are not allowed to join, its a mens social club.

The low level of participation by women in decisionmaking inevitably leads to biases in the priorities and policies pursued by development organisations. A balanced participation by women and men in decisionmaking is important for local democracy and for the quality of decisions taken on developments that affect the life and future of rural communities and economies.

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Decision-making at local level women's participation is a must This section addresses development organisations and professional associations, as well as local and regional authorities. They are asked to actively encourage and support women in planning and decision-making, both as members of management boards and committees and at senior staffing levels. Aspects that could usefully be reviewed, with an eye to gender-orientation, include: organisational culture and structure; recruitment procedure and promotion of staff; terms and conditions of employment (working time); the selection and nomination of board and committee members; procedures used for making decisions; the timing and location of meetings and events. At local, regional and national level special steps could be taken: the establishment of associations and networks of rural women; the involvement of existing women's associations in committees and partnerships; encouraging women's groups to apply for funding for development initiatives; linking up women's associations with development organisations; enhancing mainstreaming projects in existing organisations; informing womens associations and networks about available rural development programmes and projects.

Entering new economic sectors Effective rural development creates a wider range of opportunities for high quality employment. This in turn opens up new employment prospects for young women, who might otherwise move away. Advantage can be taken of new and expanding sectors, such as telecommunications, local services, tourism and leisure services and environmental improvement.

n the thinly populated Vogelsberg area of Hessen in Germany, a project to train and employ women as bus drivers has created 12 new bus routes and provided full and part-time employment for eight women.

Making an impact on female employment in rural areas does not always call for actions targeted specifically at women. Identifying economic sectors that have development potential and that can make a special contribution to female employment is a way of integrating equal opportunities into rural development.

he launch of a new Gaelic television station in Ireland in the early 1990s provided the stimulus for an initiative which trained and provided production experience for 78 women, more than two-thirds of whom now work in the industry.

As a lack of spare time is a reason frequently given by rural women for their not being more involved, every effort should be made to eradicate obstacles and ensure their participation. It may be necessary to provide transport and childcare facilities, and men may need encouraging to take more responsibility for family tasks.

hen the region of Rhne-Alpes in France chose rural tourism as a priority sector for its Structural Fund programme 2000-2006, it commissioned a study on women in the sector, to identify ways of improving their participation - as managers, entrepreneurs and employees - in rural tourism.

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Vocational and Personal Training A demand for appropriate and accessible training appears constantly in surveys and studies of womens needs in rural areas. Women often represent an untapped resource, with a range of special aptitudes and skills ready to be developed and put to use in the formal economy. Many women already have vocational qualifications, which may need updating to prepare them to re-enter the job market. But the right support and encouragement is needed and, especially, training needs to be a realistic and practically achievable option. Pre-training courses in personal development, confidence raising and basic skills allow women to discover their own strengths and abilities in a supportive environment before moving on to more vocationally-oriented training programmes. Such courses are often the genesis of networks of mutual support and practical action, leading to the setting up of co-operatives, small businesses or local services. Traditional views about the role of women and men can still affect the choices women make when pursuing vocational training. Instead of opting for conventionally female areas, positive action can be taken to encourage women to explore the possibilities offered by traditionally male domains. This broadening of roles can be stimulating to the individual and rewarding in both social and economic terms.

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n Greece, rural women attend courses on clothing, handicrafts, rural home economics, food-processing and agritourism; in contrast, for subjects such as animal husbandry, arboriculture, horticulture and agricultural machinery women represent less than 20% of the trainees. n Spain, young rural people generally have a lower level of training and education than their urban counterparts, although the difference is becoming less marked. Among 20-24 year olds, few gender differences exist, and education is not an explanation of womens marginalisation in the rural economy. At higher education and university level, gender differences exist, with rural women faring the worst. The desire to pursue education is stronger among young rural women than men of the same age; they have a keen desire to be assimilated into an urban way of life and education is a route to achieving this.

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Setting up businesses By entering into self-employment and setting up small businesses women can be at the forefront of innovation and diversification in rural areas, for example by developing agri-tourism activities, artisanal food and drinks production, craft enterprises, telecommunication and caring services. Women often have the added advantage of an awareness and knowledge of local needs, and special interpersonal and communication skills.

n Finland's rural areas, agriculture has always been the main source of self-employment. Non-agricultural opportunities are taken up more by men than by women. A survey in 1994 showed that the proportion of rural entrepreneurs, outside agriculture, in the employed labour force was 5% for women and 14% for men. Male entrepreneurs in rural areas have increased proportionately faster than women entrepreneurs: in 1986 the corresponding figures were 3% for women and 7% for men. An earlier survey showed that most selfemployed rural men work in machine shops, metal-work, wood-work, or earn extra income by operating tractors or excavators on a contract basis. The occupations of rural women were more diverse, but often focussed on personal services.

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Support services for women entrepreneurs Quality support services for rural women venturing into self-employment, or starting their own businesses or co-operatives, are imperative. Existing services can often be reviewed and adapted or expanded to address the specific needs of women entrepreneurs. Experience shows that, prior to starting a business, women often prefer to participate in women-only courses and groups. But once their business has been established they want access to support services appropriate to the type and size of enterprise they have created, and to the sector in which it operates.

Replacing unpaid social services with jobs The absence of quality care services is widely perceived as a major constraint on rural women taking paid work and participating in public life. There are few rural areas of the European Union where the demand for services for children and the elderly is met by existing provision. A number of rural areas have undertaken audits of the need and demand for childcare and other services, which have then been used to identify potential solutions. It can no longer be assumed that these services will be provided by the unpaid labour of women or other family members. In fact, local employment can be created in the course of solving this problem. Funding can be provided through the Structural Funds the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) or EAGGF (European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund) - for investments such as the conversion or construction of buildings and the provision of equipment. Staff can be trained and gain qualifications with support from the ESF (European Social Fund), which can also finance work placements and the temporary provision of transport and childcare during the training period.

In the early stages, women may need back-up counselling to help develop their ideas, identify their skills and capacity, and increase their confidence. Later, a range of business support is needed: specialised business start-up courses and technical assistance; improved access to finance and credit - through credit guarantee funds, special loan funds or positive action in credit applications at start-up and development phases; for women farmers, training and technical advice in new farming techniques, diversification and management; involvement of experienced entrepreneurs to act as mentors.

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The need for rural services The expectations of young people and young families in rural areas are different to those of previous generations. Creating a social and community framework that meets those expectations is an integral part of effective rural development. A good transport network, with reliable services, vehicles, routes and timetables adapted to local needs, is crucial. Security and protection at isolated bus stops particularly important for women and young people may also need taking into consideration. he Angus Transport Forum carried out an audit in each village of the region of Angus, Scotland, to identify transport problems and needs; it has subsequently been able to improve the quantity and quality of bus and taxi services in the region.

n Denmark, a 1991 study showed that 60% of children aged 3-6 in rural areas were in publicly funded childcare services compared with 85% in greater Copenhagen. 1992 survey in the Netherlands showed that 1% of rural children under the age of four were in daycare compared with 16% of those living in the main urban centres.

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Ease of access to services - shops, healthcare, schools plays a big part in sustaining rural communities. But other social and community needs should not be forgotten: leisure activities, the Internet, entertainment, revitalisation of linguistic and cultural traditions, the architectural heritage and the environment These can help to maintain the rural population and attract back young people and families, as well as providing opportunities for generating income and employment.

n the Spanish island of Minorca, a 1990 survey found that 0% of 2 year olds, 10% of 3 year olds and 20% of 4 year olds were in pre-school services in rural areas, compared with 50% of 2 year olds, 90% of 3 year olds and 100% of 4 year olds in urban areas. survey in Scotland found that less than one quarter of currently economically inactive rural women with a child under five would choose to stay at home if suitable, affordable childcare were available.

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n a village in Macedonia, Greece, women spoke passionately of having to bring their children into the fields, leaving them in hammocks or a cart while they worked, often from six in the morning to seven oclock at night.

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Community support: making the maximum impact

European Union programmes have already provided significant backing to developments in rural areas that have benefited women. The Community Initiative Employment-NOW has been widely used to support training, employment creation and enterprise support projects for rural women. The LEADER Initiatives have helped many women develop paying activities in the fields of tourism, crafts and regional products. The European Social and Regional Development Funds have been used to co-finance training and economic development initiatives, many of which have made an important contribution to womens opportunities in the labour market and to improved infrastructure and access to services in rural areas. Equality - a guiding principle The Treaty of Amsterdam establishes equality between women and men as a specific task and activity of the Community, and as a horizontal objective to be incorporated into all Community policies and programmes. It provides a strong legal base and incentive for all Member States and the European institutions to further strengthen attention to equal opportunities issues. This commitment will be realised by applying the principle of "mainstreaming", which consists of taking systematic account of the differences between the conditions, situations and needs of women and men in all Community policies and actions. This has important and practical implications for managers of Community programmes and promoters of co-financed projects, particularly those financed through the Structural Funds, the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund and Community Initiatives. Mainstreaming equal opportunities in European policies and programmes Mainstreaming equal opportunities involves ensuring that all general policies and measures openly and actively take into account, during planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, their effect on the respective situations of women and men. It also entails the complementary design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of specific measures to promote equality and to assist women to participate and benefit equally. Overall, policies and programmes should contribute to improved equality between men and women, and should be able to demonstrate this impact, prior to, during and after implementation. Since the adoption in February 1996 of the European Commission Communication on Incorporating equal opportunities for women and men into all Community policies and activities, a new structure has been put in place. The Group of Equality Commissioners has the responsibility of overseeing the systematic incorporation of the equal opportunities dimension into all Community policies and activities. Each Directorate General is responsible for mainstreaming equal opportunities into its policy areas, and a collaborative interservice structure of key officials supports the process.

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How the Structural Funds support equal opportunities There is a strong synergy between the objectives of equal opportunities and Community support for regional and rural development. Improved transport and care services enable more women to access employment, enterprise and training opportunities, as well as creating new sources of employment. Raising the vocational qualifications and skills of women contributes to improved productivity and chances of employment, and is an effective investment in human resources. Supporting women to develop economic activities generates innovative solutions to local development and new services, which in turn improves the quality of rural life and helps maintain rural communities. Policy screening Equal opportunities may not seem relevant to some Structural Funds measures like infrastructure investments, grant schemes or compensatory measures which benefit either the whole population or specific producer groups, regardless of sex. But it is important to take into account the differences between women and men in the use of services and schemes, and in terms of ownership and income. These differences may mean that, while a particular measure does not intend to discriminate, it may serve to maintain existing inequalities between women and men.

A recent evaluation of the Operational Programme for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries in Ireland noted that the milk quota restructuring scheme discriminated against applicants operating jointly owned and managed holdings. A number of other important agricultural measures did not facilitate either female farm ownership or greater participation by women in family farms owned by their husbands. The evaluation made a number of important recommendations to improve future Operational Programmes, so as to encourage more equal ownership of farms and more equal participation in on-farm activities and farm management. The criteria of schemes and the effects of particular investments should be examined for their likely impact on women and men, so as to eliminate unintended biases.

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The Community Initiatives 2000-2006: supporting equal opportunities and rural development Under Agenda 2000, the former thirteen Community Initiatives have been reduced to three : INTERREG The new INTERREG III Initiative has three strands: Strand A concerns cross-border cooperation, the promotion of integrated regional development across border areas. Strand B concerns transnational cooperation, promoting harmonious territorial integration across the Union. Strand C supports interregional cooperation and hence seeks to improve the policies and techniques of interregional economic development. EQUAL EQUAL builds on the Employment and Adapt initiatives but has a new, more integrated, multi-dimensional approach to the factors which cause discrimination. The initiative is built around "development partnerships" based on location or sector and working on themes structured around the four pillars of the European employment strategy. EQUAL deals with transnational cooperation to promote new means of combating all forms of discrimination and inequalities in connection with the labour market. It will also take due account of social and vocational integration. Member States will be required to ensure that this horizontal thematic approach will give priority to those who are victims of the main forms of discrimination and inequality (based on sex, race or, ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation). Through its transnational dimension and the importance granted to networking and capitalisation activities, EQUAL will act as a testing ground to foster a labour market open to all.To this end, it will experiment with new ways of delivery, single out good practices and ensure sound dissemination of results which it has been possible to build on. Three Strands are envisaged: A: Transnational, integrated projects involving multiple partners (public, private and NGO) testing new approaches, methods and practices. B: National networking in order to support the formulation of Member State policy and dissemination of best practices. C: European policy formulation and practice through the establishment of fora for policy debate and development. LEADER+ In line with the new rural development policy and unlike its predecessors LEADER I and II, all rural areas are eligible. Key features of the existing LEADER approach which have proved successful will be retained: its focus on integrated strategies which seek to exploit all the potential of the local economy together rather than a more typical sector-by-sector approach, its support for 'bottom-up' approaches to local territorial development, its strong emphasis on active participation of the local population; and on co-operation and networking between rural areas. Priority themes at European level around which integrated local development plans should be focussed will be introduced:the use of information technology in rural areas; improving the quality of life in rural areas; adding value to local products and making the best use of natural and cultural resources. Strategies focussing on equal opportunities for women, and on young people in rural areas are also to be given priority. LEADER+ will open up the possibility to co-finance joint rural development projects between groups within the same Member State as well as between EU Member States. Actions eligible under LEADER+ will be of a pilot nature and concern a relatively small-scale area (typically local community level, with a maximum population of 100 000). They should be complementary to those undertaken under Member States 'mainstream' rural development programmes. Three main types of actions will be eligible for support under LEADER+: integrated territorial rural development strategies of a pilot nature; co-operation between rural territories, whether within or between Member States; networking of rural areas, within the framework of a European Observatory of Rural Areas.

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The way forward

Achieving equality for women and men in rural development will take some effort. There is no shortage of talent, ideas and energy amongst women in rural areas. But a range of obstacles exists to their full participation in rural development. Some solutions have already been found, and some initiatives already taken to improve the opportunities of rural women to participate more actively in economic and public life. But much more needs to be done. Isolated actions are not enough. Systematic attention to equal opportunities has to be given in all rural development programmes and projects, to reduce the continued disparities between women and men, and to make equal opportunities a reality in all the rural areas of the European Union. The policy framework is in place. The mainstreaming of equal opportunities for women and men in all policies and programmes is an obligation on all Member States and for the European institutions. The regulations and guidelines for the European Structural Funds, European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund and Community Initiatives make clear reference to the systematic integration of equal opportunities. It is now up to decision-makers and to the managers of programmes and projects at national, regional and local levels to take up the challenge. Ensuring that all mainstream interventions contribute positively to improved equality between women and men is of vital importance. However, this alone will not be enough to reduce the disparities between women and men in vocational training, employment and enterprise, and in family and public life. A range of specific actions designed to overcome the key obstacles to equality will be required to complement this mainstream effort. Some of these actions might involve adapting the priorities and ways of working of development organisations and professional associations to ensure an equal participation of women and men. For this effort to work, women too must play their role. Rural women must move into the mainstream, and be prepared to argue their case with those who make the decisions. They must learn to better use the financial and technical resources available to promote their own development initiatives. The networks and associations in which rural women are active are important resources for equality and rural development. They too must take up the challenge of ensuring that the needs and interests of women are addressed by mainstream rural development. A sustained effort by all actors in all fields to integrate equal opportunities into rural development will bring major benefits not only to the lives of individual women, men and children in rural areas, but also to the viability and sustainability of rural economies and communities throughout Europe.

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Success stories
Demand for social services provides employment for women Tulsk in West Ireland is typical of many remote rural areas in Europe. With only one village, most people live in isolated farmhouses. Farming is a mainstay of the local economy and other jobs are scarce. Young people leave the area and many women are forced to take nonprofessional jobs, below their skill levels. Mothers lack transport and childcare services and cannot, therefore, work outside the home. Demands on social services for the elderly are growing. These were the findings of a survey conducted in 1993 by a local development association. The Action Plan developed by the group included the setting up, in 1994, of care services for elderly people and young families by women living in the area. From day one, clients paid a fee for the services provided, avoiding the stigma of charity and putting the services on a professional basis. The fee income was complemented by external funding, to cover the cost of providing the services, further training and to establish an operational base. External funding was obtained from the Health Board, Department of Social Welfare, National Lottery, the European Union and LEADER. Today, the scheme has been transformed into a limited company, with a resource centre in the village that includes crche facilities. A further project to create ten housing units for elderly and disadvantaged people was launched in 1998, enabling elderly or sick people to stay in their community among people they know. It is hoped that the housing project will eventually help to subsidise the homebased care services. This initiative shows the win-win solutions of good rural development planning. Public funding helped establish badly needed services in this rural community and created employment for 11 women, all of whom were previously long-term unemployed. Child care services welcomed by children and parents Two small neighbouring municipalities in an agricultural area of Italy's Po Delta recognised the need to provide childcare services for local families. They pooled resources to establish a childcare centre, a nursery school involving both children and adults (parents, grandparents and other relatives) and a play centre in the smaller of the two municipalities. The play centre offers children and families a chance to meet, and an outside area is open to all children in the community during the summer months. When the centre was opened in 1989, initial activity focussed on establishing a wood-working workshop to construct toys for the centre and as a means of attracting the attention of parents. This successfully paved the way for the development of further educational projects and for an approach involving parents and other groups in the community.

Sensible analysis and integrative action The co-ordinator of the LEADER group in Chateaubriant in France had not previously thought about the specific issues facing women in rural development. After all, development benefits all the local population and women can get involved if they wish to. Her attitude changed after following a gender-oriented seminar series focussing on rural development. Following the training, the LEADER group launched a project aimed at giving rural women the inspiration and desire to take the initiative. Over an 18-month period, a working group analysed the issues facing rural women, followed by the organisation of a forum. Planning and implementation of these activities involved 70 women. The forum, organised as a communication event attracted 600 participants who followed presentations to raise awareness of the potentials and needs of the rural population. The experience of the project shows that it is important to address rural women not only as individuals, but also as part of society, and to address both the specific needs of women and men as well as their inter-related and complementary interests. The group intends to establish a permanent forum, and to implement practical actions.

2 0 Women active in rural development

Networking stimulates participation in decision-making The Fermanagh Women's Network in Northern Ireland is a good example of how to improve the participation of women's groups in the decision-making process. Initially comprising only four local women's groups in the county, and run by a voluntary management committee, the network showed potential for growth and expansion and received local and regional funding. With paid staff organising and developing further initiatives the number of women's groups in the county has grown from 5 to 26. Most are community-based. Operating at community level, the Network helps women's groups to get established and facilitates the exchange of experience and information by distributing a quarterly magazine to around 1000 groups and individuals, and by organising seminars and information days. A mobile suite of computers serves for training purposes. A considerable amount of time is devoted to policy development and strategic work. In partnership with the Rural Community Network of Northern Ireland, the Fermanagh Women's Network is involved in assessing the feasibility of equality-proofing the CAP Reform. The Network is also a member of regional development partnerships, and maintains contacts at local and regional levels, with the District Council and training colleges. One of the priority objectives is how to play a more central role in rural development decision-making and planning, while staying in touch with all groups of rural women and representing their interests.

Teamwork at sub-regional level pays dividends Co-operation between three LEADER groups in the Land of Hessen in Germany led to a training programme for 40 rural women, the creation of full and part-time employment and the availability of new highquality tourism. While agriculture is still important in the area, many farms are closing and other local employment opportunities are scarce, particularly for women. Commuting to jobs in neighbouring towns an hour or more away - is part of the daily routine. In response, the local LEADER group initiated a training programme in rural and village tourism. The training was based on three modules: basic qualifications, a specialisation in tourism, and project development. Securing the support of their families was also an important aspect for the women involved. Of the 16 participants from one of the areas, 12 started a rural enterprise after the training. Others obtained full- or part-time employment. A major factor in the project's success was its operation at sub-regional level, involving three LEADER groups. This co-operation helped reduce costs per participant, benefited women from a larger area and gave the resulting enterprises a stronger market base. The teamwork established continued to pay dividends after the enterprises had been set up.

Women active in rural development 2 1

A personalised and participatory approach pays off A project in the Auvergne region of France set out to build on existing economic activities carried out clandestinely by rural women. It aimed to transform these activities into professionally-recognised and properly remunerated businesses, coherent with the development strategy for the region. Training takes the special approach of addressing people as individuals rather than as a group. Focussing on the individual skills, interests and needs of the female participants, training sets out to build confidence and confer the status necessary to creating a viable business. Resulting enterprises have included the processing and sale of farm produce, home services for elderly people, childcare and sculpture. Financed by regional bodies and the European Social Fund, a guide to the creation of rural tourism services was produced. Its originality lies in the fact that it was compiled jointly by trainers and female project participants. This meant it was both comprehensive and accessible, and while its particular aim is to encourage women to originate rural activities, it also addresses the needs of society.

Community spirit counts On the island of North Uist in the Hebrides, Scotland, where women lacked training, employment and social contact, funding at regional, national and European (ERDF Objective 1 and LEADER funding) level provided for the establishment of a nursery, an after-school club, a community training centre, office services and cultural and local tourism activities. Urachadh-Uibhist, a community group with the status of a company and registered charity had been initiated by a women's group. The project's programme focussed on improving the living and working situation of women in the area. Links are being made with further education centres in the region and there are plans to be an out-reach centre for the University of the Highlands and Islands through computer links.

2 2 Women active in rural development

For further information

Contact addresses for Structural Funds in the Member States - Leader coordinator offices

DENMARK
ERDF
Erhvervsministeriet Erhvervsfremmestyrelsen Sndergade 25

GREECE
ERDF
Ministry of the National Economy Syntagma Square GR-101 80 Athens Tel.: +30 1 333 20 00 Fax: +30 1 323 08 01

BELGIUM
ERDF
Ministre de la Rgion wallonne Direction gnrale de lconomie et de lEmploi Place de la Wallonie 1 B-5100 Namur Tel.: +32 81 33 37 00 Fax: +32 81 33 38 88 Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap Departement Ekonomie, Werkgelegenheid en Binnenlandse Aangelegenheden Markiesstraat 1 B-1000 Brussel

DK-8600 Silkeborg Tel.: +45 35 46 60 00 Fax: +45 35 46 64 01

EAGGF-GUIDANCE
Landbrugsministeriet Toldbodgade 2 DK-1253 Kbenhavn K Tel.: +45 33 63 73 00 Fax: +45 33 63 73 33

EAGGF-GUIDANCE
Ministry of Agriculture Directorate of Programming and Agricultural Structuring Acharnon Street 2 GR-104 32 Athens Tel.: +30 1 524 12 52 / 77 54 Fax: +30 1 524 51 45

GERMANY
LEADER ERDF
Bundesministerium fr Wirtschaft und Technologie Leiter des Referats I C D-11019 Berlin Tel.: +49 30 20 14 9 Fax: +49 30 20 14 70 10 MED LEADER II Ipeirou 11 & 3is Septemvriou GR-104 33 Athens Tel.: +30 1 82 57 160 Fax: +30 1 82 57 170 E-mail: med@med-leader.gr

EAGGF-GUIDANCE
Ministre de la Rgion wallonne Direction gnrale de lconomie et de lEmploi Place de la Wallonie 1 B-5100 Namur Tel.: +32 81 33 37 00 Fax: +32 81 33 38 88 Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap Afdeling Land- en Tuinbouwondersteuningsbeleid Leuvenseplein 4 B-1000 Brussel Tel.: +32 2 553 63 10 Fax: +32 2 553 63 05

EAGGF-GUIDANCE
Bundesministerium fr Ernhrung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten Rochusstrae 1 D-53123 Bonn Tel.: +49 228 529 3880 Fax: +49 228 529 4262

LEADER
Deutsche Vernetzungsstelle LEADER bei der Bundesanstalt fr Landwirtschaft und Ernhrung (B.L.E.) Projektgruppe 05 Adickesallee 40 D-60322 Frankfurt/Main Tel.: +49 69 15 64-0 Fax: +49 69 15 64-7 93 +49 69 15 64-7 87 E-mail: leader2@internet.de

Women active in rural development 2 3

SPAIN
ERDF
Ministerio de Economa y Hacienda Direccin General de Planificacin Paseo de la Castellana 162 E-28046 Madrid Tel.: +34 91 583 51 00 Fax: +34 91 563 062

FRANCE
ERDF
DATAR Av. Charles Floquet 1 F-75343 Paris Cedex 07 Tel.: +33 1 40 65 12 34 Fax: +33 1 43 06 99 01

IRELAND
ERDF
Department of Finance Upper Merion Street IRL-Dublin 2 Tel.: +353 1 676 75 71 Fax: +353 1 678 99 36

EAGGF-GUIDANCE
Ministre de lAgriculture et de la Pche Direction de lEspace rural et de la Fort Bureau des Affaires rgionales et des Programmes europens Av. du Maine 19 F-75732 Paris Cedex 15

EAGGF-GUIDANCE
Department of Agriculture and Food Agriculture House Kildare Street IRL-Dublin 2 Tel.: +353 1 607 2000 Fax: +353 1 661 6263

EAGGF-GUIDANCE
Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentacin (MAPA) Secretario General de Estructuras Agrarias Paseo de la Castellana 112 E-28046 Madrid Tel.: +34 91 347 17 25 Fax: +34 91 347 16 26 E-mail: sgadr4@mx4.redestb.es

LEADER
Ministre de lAgriculture, DEPSE Rue de las Cases 30 F-75007 Paris Farrell Grant Sparks Molyneux House Bride Street IRL-Dublin 8 Tel.: +353 1 475 81 37 Fax: +353 1 475 20 44 E-mail: info@leaderii.ie

LEADER
TRAGSATEC Unidad Espaola del Observatorio Europeo LEADER c/ Conde de Pealver, 84 - 5 Planta E-28006 Madrid Tel.: +34 91 396 37 12 Fax: +34 91 396 37 05 E-mail: juge@redrural.tragsatec.es http://redrural.tragsatec.es

LEADER
Unit franaise dAnimation LEADER II - RCT-BDPA 108, Avenue de Fontainebleau F-94270 Kremlin Bictre Tel.: +33 1 45 15 89 20 Fax: +33 1 45 15 89 29 E-mail: ualeader@club-internet.fr http://www.reseauleader.com CNASEA - OAGF-LEADER 7, rue Ernest Renan F-92136 Issy-les-Moulineaux Cedex Tel.: +33 1 46 48 41 66 Fax: +33 1 40 93 50 11 E-mail: atnpe@club-internet.fr

2 4 Women active in rural development

I TA LY
ERDF
Ministero dell Industria, del Commercio e dellArtigianato Direzione Generale della Produzione Industriale Via Molise 2 I-00587 Roma Tel.: +39 06 470 52 022 Fax: +39 06 482 70 67 Ministero del Tesoro, Bilancio e Programmazione Economica Dipartimento Politiche di Sviluppo e Coesione Servizio per le Politiche dei Fondi Strutturali Comunitari Via Curtantone 4/d-8 I-00185 Roma Tel.: +39 0644 40 373 Fax: +39 0643 58 85 45

LUXEMBOURG
ERDF
Ministre de lconomie Bd Royal 19-21 L-2449 Luxembourg Tel.: +352 478 41 64 Fax: +352 46 04 48

AUSTRIA
ERDF
Bundeskanzleramt Hohenstaufengasse 3 A-1010 Wien Tel.: +43 1 531 15 29 09 Fax: +43 1 531 15 21 80

EAGGF-GUIDANCE
Ministre de lAgriculture, de la Viticulture et du Dveloppement rural Bd. Roosevelt 14 L-2450 Luxembourg Tel.: +352 478 2520 Fax: +352 46 74 53

EAGGF-GUIDANCE
Bundesministerium fr Land und Forstwirtschaft Stubenring 1 A-1012 Wien

LEADER
sterreichische LEADERNetzwerk-Servicestelle Fichtegasse 2

THE NETHERLANDS
ERDF
Ministerie van Economische Zaken Direktoraat-generaal voor Economische Structuur, Directie RBM Postbus 20101 NL-2500 EC Den Haag Tel.: +31 70 379 89 11 Fax: +31 70 379 77 57

A-1010 Wien Tel.: +43 1 513 89 94-12 +43 1 512 15 95-12 Fax: +43 1 512 15 95-10 E-mail: fidlschuster@invent.or.at fidlschuster@oear.co.at http://www.rural-austria.at

EAGGF-GUIDANCE
Ministero Agricoltura e Foreste Direzione Generale delle Politiche Communitarie e Internazionali Divizione Ufficio Strutture Via XX Settembre 20 I-00187 Roma

EAGGF-GUIDANCE LEADER
Istituto Nazionale di Economia Agraria (INEA) Via Barberini, 36 I-00187 Roma Tel.: +39 06 478 561 Fax: +39 06 474 19 84 E-mail: reteleader@inea.it mantino@inea.it http://www.inea.it/reteleader/leader.htm Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuurbeheer en Visserij Bezuidenhoutseweg 73 NL-2500 EK Den Haag

LEADER
Nationaal LEADER Netwerk Provincie Frysln Tweebaksmarkt 52 Postbus 20120 NL-HM 8900 Leeuwarden Tel.: +31 58 292 52 89 Fax: +31 58 292 56 32 E-mail: leader2@xs4all.nl http://www.leader2.nl

Women active in rural development 2 5

PORTUGAL
ERDF
Direco Geral do Desenvolvimento Regional (DGDR) Rua S. Julio 63 P-1100 Lisboa Tel.: +351 21 881 40 00 Fax: +351 21 888 11 11

FINLAND
ERDF
Sisasiainministeri Paavo Pirttimki Kirkkokatu 12, PL 257 FIN-00171 Helsinki Tel.: +358 9 160 1 Fax: +358 9 160 28 27

UNITED KINGDOM
ERDF
Department of Trade and Industry Kingsgate House 66-74 Victoria Street UK-London SW1E 6SW Department of Finance and

EAGGF-GUIDANCE EAGGF-GUIDANCE
Direco Geral do Desenvolvimento Rural Av. Defensores de Chaves 6 P-1000 Lisboa Codex Fax: +351 21 357 92 76 Director do Gabinete de Planeamento e Politica Agroalimentar Rua Padre Antnio Vieira 1-8 P-1099-073 Lisboa Instituto Financeiro de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento de Agricultura e Pescas (IFADAP) Rua Dona Estefnia 71-77 P-1007 Lisboa Codex Maa-ja metstalousministeri C-G Mikander Hallituskatu 3A, PL 232 FIN-00171 Helsinki Tel.: +358 9 1601 Fax: +358 9 160 42 80

Personnel Parliament Building Stormont UK-Belfast BT4 3SW (Northern Ireland)

EAGGF-GUIDANCE
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Nobel House - Room G 34 A 17 Smith Square UK-London SW1P 3JR The Scottish Executive Agriculture and Fisheries Department Victoria Quay UK-Edinburgh EH6 6QQ Department of Agriculture and

LEADER
Suomen LEADER-verkostoyksikk Prnnrintie 17 FIN-61800 Kauhajoki Tel.: +358 6 2360 067 +358 40 5314 944 Fax: +358 6 2360 068 E-mail: mari.kempas@leader.kauhajoki.fi http://leader.kauhajoki.fi

SWEDEN
LEADER
LEADER II Portugal Rua Marquesa de Alorna, 34-2 esq. P-1700-304 Lisboa Tel.: +351 21 844 65 95 Fax: +351 21 844 66 23 E-mail: caleader@inde.pt

Rural Development Northern Ireland Executive Dundonald House Upper Newtownards Road UK-Belfast BT4 3SB (Northern Ireland) Tel.: +44 1232 520 100 Fax: +44 1232 659 856

ERDF
Nrings- och teknikutvecklingsverket (NUTEK) S-11786 Stockholm Tel.: +46 8 681 94 33

EAGGF-GUIDANCE
Jordbruksverket S-55182 Jnkping Tel.: +46 36 15 59 29 / 22

LEADER
Local and Regional Development Planning Ltd. Artillery House - Artillery Row UK-London SW1P 1RT Tel.: +44 171 233 40 50 Fax: +44 171 799 10 71 E-mail: valeriesmith@lrdp.co.uk http://www.ukleader.org.uk

LEADER
The Swedish LEADER-Network Box 787 S-45126 Uddevalla Tel.: +46 522 65 39 13 Fax: +46 522 65 39 29 E-mail: Nils.Lagerroth@hs-o.hush.se http://www.leader.bygde.net

2 6 Women active in rural development

European Commission
(http://europa.eu.int) Directorate-General Agriculture Rue de la Loi 200 B-1049 Bruxelles Fax: +32 2 295 75 40 E-mail: agri-library@cec.eu.int http://europa.eu.int/comm/ dgs/agriculture/index_en.htm Directorate-General Employment and Social Affairs Rue de la Loi 200 B-1049 Bruxelles Fax: +32 2 296 23 93 http://europa.eu.int/comm/ dgs/employment_social/index_en.htm Directorate-General Regional Policy Rue de la Loi 200 B-1049 Bruxelles Fax: +32 2 299 16 62 E-mail: dgregio@inforegio.cec.eu.int http://europa.eu.int/comm/ regional_policy/index_en.htm http://inforegio.cec.eu.int

Leader European Observatory AEIDL Chausse St-Pierre 260 B-1040 Bruxelles Tel.: +32 2 736 49 60 Fax: +32 2 736 04 34 E-mail: leader@aeidl.be http://www.rural-europe.aeidl.be

European Parliament
(http://europa.eu.int) Committee on Womens Rights and Equal Opportunities (FEMM) European Parliament L-2929 Luxembourg Fax Luxembourg: +352 430 02 77 08 Fax Bruxelles: +32 2 284 49 45 http://www.europarl.eu.int

European Commission Women active in rural development - Assuring the future of rural Europe Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 2000 28 pp. 21.0 x 29.7 cm ISBN 92-828-9480-0

Women active in rural development 2 7

3 KF-29-00-303-EN-C

This brochure aims to encourage and inspire those responsible for rural development programmes and projects to take into account the needs and interests of women in rural areas

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