Position Paper on Rural Development
The Position Paper on Rural Development sums up Welthungerhilfe’s (WHH) programs and political approaches that aim to improve the conditions in which people in poor rural regions of the Global South live. The position paper currently covers 17 aspects.
Download the sections of the position paper
The first version of the paper was released in 2012. Since 2021, selected sections have been updated and new ones added. Positions are developed based on organization-wide consultations with the consideration of external expert advice. Each section is structured in three parts: an analytical introduction, followed by practical advice on key areas in which WHH is involved with its program and project work, and a list of current demands to national and international decision-makers. The paper does not attempt to provide operational guidance on how to implement promoted approaches in a given context but instead broadly discusses which approaches to promote in various situations.
The paper fulfils three functions:
- It is primarily aimed at WHH staff and partners and serves as an internal guide for strategically coherent, systemic, and effective program work in rural development. The paper highlights the aspects of rural development that WHH is particularly involved in.
- Looking outwards, the paper is intended to communicate WHH’s work and policy direction to the interested public and possible cooperation partners.
- The position paper points out that rural development can only be successful if it takes place within a conducive enabling environment. Therefore, this position paper makes concrete demands on policy makers, on governments of Global North and and equally importantly, on international organizations.
