International Day of Rural Women Observed on 15 October 2026

15 October 2026National

The International Day of Rural Women was observed worldwide on 15 October under the 2026 theme 'Rural Women Farmers Caring for Mother Nature', spotlighting the women who grow much of the world's food. The UN notes that women account for close to 40% of the global agricultural labour force - over 50% in parts of Africa and Asia - yet own only about 15% of agricultural land, and that women in agricultural wage work earn 82 cents for every dollar men earn. Equal access to productive resources could lift farm yields 20-30%, feeding 100-150 million more people. The date is also Global Handwashing Day.

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The International Day of Rural Women was established by the UN General Assembly in 2007 and first observed on 15 October 2008 | Women are responsible for about half of the world's food production, yet own only around 15% of agricultural land | 15 October is also marked as Global Handwashing Day, and in India as World Students' Day, the birth anniversary of Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, born in 1931 at Rameswaram

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