Gender, Poverty Elimination and Environmental Protection: Three Key Paths to Sustainable Rural Development

Abstract

This paper argues that gender, poverty and the environment are three major challenges that have often been misunderstood or overlooked when planning for sustainable rural development. However, there is recently a growing awareness by international development planners, economists and policy makers that a focus on these three key challenges takes development, specifically rural development to a new level of or path to sustainability. The analysis of these three key challenges will help give appropriate consideration to the important role that should be played by ‘determined and committed’ rural people, both men and women, in promoting and developing their own livelihoods and environment to reach sustainable development in collaboration with other agents in the society.