Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and support the celebrations of world rural women's day on October 15.
The idea of an annual celebration of rural women originated in 1995 during the fourth United Nations conference on women held in Beijing.
It is appropriate that the day chosen to celebrate this day is one day before world food day as women in rural areas around the world make an invaluable contribution to the production of food and the management of other natural resources.
Despite their crucial role, many rural women face serious limitations in access to land, credit, agricultural extension services and other key resources.
If governments are to achieve international development goals such as world food security and sustainable development we must support the contribution of women and their full participation in agricultural and rural development.
Please join me in honouring the contributions to our welfare made by these one billion rural women.