Rural Women in Action: ACWW's Strategy 2022-2026

Our new strategy sees the launch of a new programme of development projects, ensuring greater community impact for the women most at risk of being left behind.  

Grounding our development projects in 40 years of experience, combined with recognised good practice, we will continue to prioritise the issues highlighted by rural women in their communities.  In line with experience and global priority, we will focus on Climate-Smart Agriculture, Rural Women’s Health, and Education & Community Development for our Core Projects.    

Alongside Core Projects which respond to local priorities, we will work with strategic partners to add Capacity Building modules to each project, strengthening impact and building sustainability.  We will fund fewer Projects each year, but continue our annual spending at the same level, so there is greater investment in  each community.

To strengthen the sharing of knowledge between Member Societies, we are inviting all Societies to appoint ACWW Coordinators; they will receive training and support, and have regular online meetings with each other, their Area President, and the World President. This will mean global representation and greater communication.  

Coordinators will be assisted in organising local activities, and awareness-raising events, and will be encouraged to implement fund-raising activities and organise local Women Walk the World events.  

Area Conferences will continue to benefit from the support processes established in 2020 in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and this will be strengthened with Capacity Building workshops and training sessions.

ACWW will continue to use its Consultative Status with the United Nations and its Agencies to amplify the voices of Rural Women, and highlight the issues they raise at the international level. Amongst other policies, we will prioritise the following:  

With the FAO, we will advocate for the importance of family farming, women’s land rights, Indigenous seed protection, food security and food sovereignty.  

At UNESCO we will advocate for equitable access to quality education at all levels for women in all their diversity, the importance of traditional and inherited knowledge, Indigenous languages, and global citizenship.  

We will use our access at the Human Rights Council to promote understanding and implementation of CEDAW for women everywhere.  

We will raise awareness of critical UN Declarations and Conventions that are specifically relevant to our membership.

ACWW’s global network of women’s organisations is unique, and important to protect. By focusing our efforts on building capacity within our network, we will strengthen both our Members and our Membership.

For many years we have worked with partner organisations who are aligned in policy and intent; we will continue to build these relationships and work in like-minded coalitions where appropriate to achieve our aims. 

We will establish strategic partnerships to help deliver Projects, fund our core work, and advance our advocacy work. Partnerships will be considered at global, national, and local levels.  

All partnerships will be built in line with ACWW’s established policies and the Statement of Ethics adopted by the Board of Trustees in 2021.   

Our Members will continue to be our priority, as we work to achieve the agenda they have set for ACWW.