Outcome CAF_D_2.1

Rural women secure access to productive resources and engage in sustainable agriculture in Central Africa Republic

1250 rural women secure access to productive resources and engage in sustainable agriculture at Bambari, Mbaïki and Pissa in Central Africa Republic (CAR) in the reporting year. With the support of local authorities and leaders 03 local land governance charters have been elaborated to increase women's access to land and tenure security (over 500 hectares given to women’s organizations). Also, the 1250 rural women have increased their access to agricultural production inputs and equipment and financial services through advocacy for opening of local Microfinance Agency. Also, to improve the women economic empowerment in the country, the government through the ministry of gender has elaborated a national strategy for the women socio-economic empowerment These significant results have been targeted under the joint project « Renforcement du relèvement et de réintégration des femmes et des filles grâce à une agriculture résiliente au changement climatique pour instaurer la paix et la réconciliation en RCA après conflit » funded by the Peace Bulding Funds (PBF). The project has closely executed with UN FAO in CAR and ministry of agriculture, the Ministry of Gender and the civil society actors worked in sustainable agriculture. In insecurity and COVID-19 pandemic context, certain strategies have not be implanted. The operationalization of buyforwomen platform and south-south exchanges (two major output under the project) have not been done.

Rural women secure access to productive resources and engage in sustainable agriculture in Central Africa Republic

Improving women's access to land and land security: UN Women also contributed to bridging the gap between land law and practice in the Central African Republic and to improving women's understanding of their land, inheritance and matrimonial rights. UN Women's technical and financial support enabled the government to develop three local charters for gender-sensitive land governance. As a result, 10 groups of 125 rural women each have received land (500 hectares ceded by local authorities, i.e. 50 hectares per group) under the program. 212 national actors are mobilized to promote an environment that protects the rights of women and girls with respect to land. As pilots, 2 communities in CAR have implemented gender-sensitive land governance processes. 30 political and administrative authorities and 69 community leaders (99 people) have capacity building on the need to integrate gender into the management of land-related conflicts and land allocation and are following the project process (management and monitoring of parcels). Women's land rights are critical to women's empowerment, poverty reduction and climate resilience. UN Women has been advocating with customary leaders, administrative authorities as well as husbands to be gender sensitive. An important part of this process is community engagement to improve land governance systems so that more equitable allocations are sustained over time through gender-responsive land practices.