NewsWhore
08-08-2008, 04:20 PM
Spanish Vice President Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega encourages the DR to take advantage of its natural resources and become the breadbasket of the Caribbean. "The Dominican Republic is a country of abundance, abundance of natural resources, abundance of good weather, and of its people's human quality. It has major farming potential, and is able to supply not only its own population, but to export," she pointed out.
She said that women should become more active in the agricultural sector, due to the fact that unemployment rates among women are double those for men. She also called for more action by women for women. She wants to see more on women's rights covered on the international agenda and more programs and policies to favor the development of women by government and civil society institutions. The VP made her comments during a speech at United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (Instraw) conference in Santo Domingo with the participation of 30 civil society organizations. Fernandez says that the world food crisis puts more pressure on women because it is women who provide fundamental support to the family structure. According to the Vice President, women head 32% of Dominican households, and of these half live in poverty. Fernandez mentioned that 70% of the world's poor are women and that in the DR 45% of women live in the countryside. She deplored the fact that even though women produce more than 50% of foods they only own 2% of the land they produce on.
Fernandez commented that Spain would make an additional EUR5 million available for micro-credit loans for women's developmental programs run through the Spanish Agency for International Development (AECID). The AECID has a line of credit for EUR20 million of which 60% has benefited women through various business programs. According to Fernandez, "Through credits of about EUR800, 15,000 Dominican women have been able to buy seeds and transport their agricultural products for sale."
She also stated that Spain would not be changing its migration policies, regardless of the new European migration directive that provides for funding for the return of migrants.
During her visit, she also announced AECID would continue its support the Santo Domingo Municipality's (ADN) efforts to improve the Colonial City.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)
She said that women should become more active in the agricultural sector, due to the fact that unemployment rates among women are double those for men. She also called for more action by women for women. She wants to see more on women's rights covered on the international agenda and more programs and policies to favor the development of women by government and civil society institutions. The VP made her comments during a speech at United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (Instraw) conference in Santo Domingo with the participation of 30 civil society organizations. Fernandez says that the world food crisis puts more pressure on women because it is women who provide fundamental support to the family structure. According to the Vice President, women head 32% of Dominican households, and of these half live in poverty. Fernandez mentioned that 70% of the world's poor are women and that in the DR 45% of women live in the countryside. She deplored the fact that even though women produce more than 50% of foods they only own 2% of the land they produce on.
Fernandez commented that Spain would make an additional EUR5 million available for micro-credit loans for women's developmental programs run through the Spanish Agency for International Development (AECID). The AECID has a line of credit for EUR20 million of which 60% has benefited women through various business programs. According to Fernandez, "Through credits of about EUR800, 15,000 Dominican women have been able to buy seeds and transport their agricultural products for sale."
She also stated that Spain would not be changing its migration policies, regardless of the new European migration directive that provides for funding for the return of migrants.
During her visit, she also announced AECID would continue its support the Santo Domingo Municipality's (ADN) efforts to improve the Colonial City.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)