Sustainable Livehoods for Rural Women's Economic Empowerment

This policy brief, “Sustainable Livelihoods for Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment: Experiences and Ways Forward from the Joint Programme on Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment,” is part of a series to present evidence from the strategies and praxis of the United Nations Joint Programme on Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment (officially called “Accelerating Progress towards the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women” or “JP RWEE” in short form). Based on case studies, experiences and evaluations from the JP RWEE, the brief draws conclusions and makes recommendations to promote sustainable livelihoods for rural women. This brief situates the experiences of the JP RWEE in the context of current policy debates and scholarship to highlight approaches to achieve sustainable livelihoods for rural women. It also identifies challenges and gaps in JP RWEE programming to inform international, national and local stakeholders’ formulation of evidence-based policies that build on the JP RWEE’s achievements and lessons learned so far on sustainable livelihoods in order to expand the programme’s positive impact.