Tirer parti des normes de durabilité volontaires pour promouvoir l’égalité des sexes et l’autonomisation des femmes dans le secteur de l’agriculture

The document analyzes the intersection of voluntary sustainability standards (VSS), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and gender equality in agriculture. It identifies six key themes—household food security, access to productive resources, education, unpaid domestic work, decision-making, and decent work—where VSS can either support or potentially hinder women's empowerment. The guide provides specific recommendations for development organizations to ensure VSS implementation is gender-transformative and does not exacerbate existing inequalities.

• Voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) can indirectly improve household food security by promoting sustainable production for diverse diets and increasing incomes, provided women control these income sources. However, a risk exists that certification of commercial crops—typically managed by men—may displace women's subsistence farming and jeopardize food security.
• While VSS do not directly promote women's land rights, they may indirectly facilitate temporary land rights when men migrate and certification requires a landowner's presence. Financial supports like premiums can help women access production factors if supported by producer cooperatives, but certification can widen the gap in access to training unless outreach specifically targets women.
• VSS contribute to educational equality by prohibiting child labor, which encourages school attendance for both girls and boys. However, the prohibition of child labor can paradoxically create barriers for women's agricultural work if adequate childcare services are not provided, as it may conflict with cultural traditions of children assisting parents in the fields.
• Certification can empower women by increasing their roles in production and community activities, potentially shifting household decision-making power. Conversely, in deeply patriarchal societies, VSS risk reinforcing male dominance if men retain control over certification revenues or if gender equality training is absent.
• VSS improve conditions for salaried female workers by requiring compliance with standards that often exceed national laws, particularly regarding health, safety, and maternity needs. However, the increased workload required to meet sustainability and quality criteria often falls on women as unpaid family workers, increasing their burden without recognition or pay.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2019). Tirer parti des normes de durabilité volontaires pour promouvoir l’égalité des sexes et l’autonomisation des femmes dans le secteur de l’agriculture. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/vss-gender-equality-agriculture-brief-fr.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Tirer parti des normes de durabilité volontaires pour promouvoir l’égalité des sexes et l’autonomisation des femmes dans le secteur de l’agriculture. 2019. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/vss-gender-equality-agriculture-brief-fr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Tirer parti des normes de durabilité volontaires pour promouvoir l’égalité des sexes et l’autonomisation des femmes dans le secteur de l’agriculture |date=2019 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/vss-gender-equality-agriculture-brief-fr.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2019tirer, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Tirer parti des normes de durabilité volontaires pour promouvoir l’égalité des sexes et l’autonomisation des femmes dans le secteur de l’agriculture}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2019}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/vss-gender-equality-agriculture-brief-fr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }