A new Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) – the first measure to directly capture women’s empowerment and inclusion levels in the agricultural sector – was launched on February 28 at the UN Commission on the Status of Women meetings in New York.

The Index is a collaborative project between the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), Oxford Department of International Development, University of Oxford, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). 

Dr Sabina Alkire, who leads OPHI, appeared on the panel alongside USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, Dr Agnes Quisumbing, Senior Research Fellow, Health & Nutrition, IFPRI, Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Minister of Women & Children, Bangladesh, and Ann Tutwiler, Deputy Director General, FAO.

There will be a second launch event in the UK next week at Houses of Parliament, co-hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture and Food for Development and All Party Parliamentary Group on Africa.

• Find out more about the Index
• Watch the video from the launch event