National Strategy and Action Plan for Gender and Private Sector 2014-2017.

The National Strategy and Action Plan for Gender and Private Sector is a national strategy with a sectoral approach. The timeframe of the Strategy is four years from 2014 to 2017. The overall objective is to overcome disparities among men and women in the private sector, giving particular regard to access of women to entrepreneurship, including the rural sector. The strategy is focused on the following areas: 1) business enabling environment; 2) occupational segregation and imbalances in the labour market; 3) disparities in asset ownership; 4) access to credit and financial services; 5) access to information and training; 6) access to markets; 7) networking opportunities.Food insecurity is to be eradicated as it puts women, especially rural women, in a highly vulnerable position. Clean water supply should also be ensured as women spend a disproportionate amount of their time collecting water.The strategy aims at eradicating rural poverty, giving special attention to rural women. It lays down principles and measures concerning access to land and other resources, ownership and inheritance rights of women; access to credit and finance services; access of women to information, business skills training and business development services; integration of women to the market.The State Secretary for the Support and Promotion of Private Sector and the Secretary of State for the Promotion of Equality are responsible for implementing this strategy. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is the key institution to develop gender responsive policies and measures related to the improvement of the agricultural sector.