WWSF Prize for Women's Creativity in Rural Life

An award to honor women’s creativity, courage and compassion.

According to the FAO, women make up about 43% of the agricultural workforce globally, and in some countries, this figure rises to as much as 70%. Despite their essential role, rural women often work longer hours than men, with much of their labor being unpaid, informal, or classified as contributing family work.

Their contributions, though vital to food security, community development, and sustainable agriculture, frequently go unrecognized. It is within this context that the “Prize for Women’s Creativity in Rural Life”, was created by WWSF in Geneva, in 1994, to highlight the creativity, courage, and compassion of rural women who are improving lives in their communities and need to be recognized for their contribution.

The “Prize for Women’s Creativity in Rural Life” annually selects, from nominations received, creative rural women leaders and actors. The prize award of US$ 1000 per laureate represents our solidarity contribution for efforts and obstacles overcome, and is not meant to be a project fund, although in many cases the prize money is re-invested in the laureates’ projects.

Discover in our e-booklet all the 500 laureates awarded since 1994 and their initiatives.

Each year on “International Day of Rural Women – 15 October”, WWSF officially honors its annually selected laureates with the Prize. To learn more about this event and access the poster, visit this page