I am Azzurra and I am the Global Coordinator of a Joint Programme on rural women's economic empowerment. The programme, implemented by FAO, IFAD, WFP and UN Women, is implemented in seven countries: Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Nepal, Niger, and Rwanda with the overall goal of responding with an integrated response to the multiple challenges rural women face in their daily lives. Before taking my current position, I lived for six years in West Africa where I started to work on gender equality and women's empowerment programs, with a specific focus on the fundamental role of women in poverty reduction and conflict prevention. In 2013-2015, I was the Gender Advisor of the Italian Embassy in Afghanistan, where I led the renewed commitment of Italy in the sector of gender equality, with programmes in areas as sexual and reproductive rights, fight to GBV, access to justice and to education, and women’s economic empowerment.