On World Rural Women’s Day (Wednesday, 15th October 2003) Jill Evans MEP, Leader of Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales in the European Parliament, has called upon all policy makers to be more aware of the problems facing rural communities.

Speaking from Wales, Jill Evans said,

“We need to highlight the wider social problems faced by families living in rural areas of Wales - a decline in community services such as post offices, shops and libraries; lack of appropriate affordable housing for families; and poor public transport which socially excludes women and older people in particular."

“Studies in Wales have shown that women in poor rural areas face greater health problems and this is partly due to the lack of surgeries, pharmacies and health care centres in rural areas."

“To secure a future for our rural communities we must listen to the voices of everyone in those communities - young and old, men and women - and ensure that their needs are met.”

Note to editors:

1. In March 2003 Jill Evans invited representatives from the FUW, NFU Cymru, Merched y Wawr, NFWI Wales and NCH Cymru to Brussels to take part in a European Conference on “Women in Rural Areas”. This led on to a European Parliament report on the issue being passed by the Parliament in July 2003.

2a. 40% of communities of 6,000 people have no shop

2b. Most people living in rural Wales have no bank or petrol station within 10 kilometres

2c. 1 in 5 communities do not have a primary school

2d. 65% of rural communities have no GP surgery

2e. 90% of rural communities have no dentist surgery and most have no dental service within 10 kilometres

Source: Welsh Consumer Council Report on Rural Isolation and Consumer Access to Goods and Services, Mark Jeffs, 2002.

Ends.