Global food 50/50 report: assessing gender, diversity, and power in food system organizations

BY KARLA ESTRADA

Although women are key actors in across food chains and the global food system, their contributions are often overlooked and undervalued due to gender norm biases and unequal distribution of resources—problems compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus gender equality is a critical factor in rebuilding and transforming food systems, including promoting the adoption of new technologies and serving as a catalyst for climate change mitigation. Gender equality is also key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Global food system organizations play a crucial role in advancing gender equality around the world. But how are they, themselves, doing on that front? The Global Food 50/50 initiative, a new collaboration between Global Health 50/50 and IFPRI, with support from USAID, aims to cast light on and improve their gender equality performance, with the goal of building more effective organizations—and ultimately more equitable and sustainable food systems. The Global Food 50/50 inaugural report reviews the gender policies and practices of 52 major organizations.

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