Women in rural areas more often encounter material difficulties and carry a disproportionately high load on the performance of unpaid housework in parallel with participation in key agricultural work. Gender equality in the agriculture of Belarus: challenges and opportunities Women Rural Women in Belarus play a key role in agro -food systems – from agriculture and food production to entrepreneurship and trade. However, as in many other countries, their contribution often remains unprofitable and underestimated, and gender differences in agriculture and the development of rural territories are preserved. This problem is paid to the report on the national gender profile of agriculture in Belarus, prepared with the support of the food and agricultural organization of the UN (FAO). The report is based on statistical data and materials collected during the interview with rural women and other interested persons. This is the first analysis of Belarus, prepared by the FAO in the framework of the global series of reports on the gender situation in agriculture. It discusses in detail the roles of women and men in agriculture, their access to resources, services and participation in decision -making, as well as trends in the labor market and in the field of poverty. ~ 60 >~ 60 > despite the presence of a strong legal framework in the field of gender and commitment to international obligations in this area – such as The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and the Beijing Platform of actions-agriculture is still perceived as a “gender neutral” industry. In the agrarian sector there are still no specific goals and landmarks associated with the gender agenda. The situation is complicated by the lack of system analysis related to agriculture. This complicates the understanding of who owns or manages farms, what types of production women and men are engaged in and whether they get the same benefit from state support. Without reliable information, it is impossible to develop an effective policy that takes into account the needs of different groups of the population and contributes to the reduction of gender rupture in rural areas. ~ 60 > ~ 60 > although low poverty levels are noted, territorial and gender differences are preserved. Women in rural areas are more often encountered with material difficulties and carry a disproportionately high load on the performance of unpaid housework in parallel with participation in key agricultural work – landing, weeding, selling products. ~ 60 > 62 > 62 > 62 > 62 ~Many participants in the study admitted that they actually conduct economics, but still consider their role as auxiliary or secondary in relation to men in the family, which reflects obsolete social norms and limits the recognition of their contribution and participation in decision -making. Such a double burden – housework and agricultural work – limits the economic capabilities of women and enhances the inequality in access to resources, income and social protection. 62 ~~ 60 > read Also: agricultural forecast: Eastern European countries will maintain leading positions on the global agricultural market 62 > 62 > 62 > 62Despite the fact that the modernization of agriculture made it possible to reduce part of the gender differences in employment, men still prevail in formal employment in the agricultural sector. Women are more often busy in accounting and administrative work, while men work on equipment. Gender stereotypes continue to impede the participation of women in managing and making decisions. The gender analysis of the production and bonds is practically absent, and the few data that are available often ignore the contribution of family members, including the majority of women. ~ 60 > in the report, the unequal access of women to land, resources and consulting services is also emphasized. Although official data show that men and women have similar rights to own land, there is no necessary information about its area, use and real control. Women face difficulties in obtaining loans for equipment and note that their small crops often do not justify the use of machines. Although there are no serious differences in the access to fertilizers and the basic equipment, consulting services often remain inaccessible to women due to a lack of time. Despite the growth of women’s entrepreneurship in Belarus, in rural areas of women leaders or business owners are noticeably fewer than men. At the same time, those who are still engaged in business do not have enough support in planning, training programs and entering the market. Women show interest in agroecotourism, crafts and processing products with added value, however, existing financing and support schemes are poorly consistent with their needs. Also, there is almost no data on which women use state subsidies or preferential loans in the agricultural sector. ~ 60 > Report confirms: men and women in Belarus make a different but complementary contribution to agricultural landing systems. The document indicates key opportunities for overcoming existing inequality. The solution to these problems will contribute not only to gender equality, but also to the general growth and increase in agricultural productivity. ~ 60 > national gender profile of agriculture prepared by FAO, provides a strong basis for reducing the gender gap in the agricultural volume sector. It emphasizes the need for a focused, gender-sensitive policy based on improving the collection and analysis of data taking into account the floor. This will expand access to services and financing for women. Investing in an inclusive approach, Belarus will be able to strengthen its agro -food systems and ensure sustainable development for all rural communities. 62 ~