of information in their own and other countries on the areas of specific importance for rural women, highlighted in the Secretary-General's report. Another representative described the activities concerning rural women undertaken by the national machinery in her country. 178. One representative, speaking on behalf of the Nordic c,ountries, reiterated that the main problems of rural women were related to production and procurement of food and care for the family. Emphasis should be placed on the role of women as traders, since they were largely responsible for the overall economic management of the household. The lack of access to ownership and control of land remained an obstacle to women's full participation in rural development, and it was further suggested that measures had to be taken concerning women's access to credit and collateral. The participation of women in co-operatives was very limited in many countries and in several instances represented less than 10 per cent of the membership. The same representative expressed the view that analysis of access to credit in the report could have been formulated in a mor~ specific way to reflect the fact that credits should be multi-purpose if they were to be sustainable. 179. The representative of Habitat stated that there had been a visible increase in concern with shelter and infrastructure problems of rural and poor urban women since the 1985 women's conference. She reported that it had become more evident that rural and poor urban women contributed significantly to the construction, maintenance and operation of housing and infrastructure such as water supply, energy and transportation. If rural and poor urban women were denied resources to upgrade and increase their efficiency, countries could not attain their national development targets. 180. The representative of INSTRAW referred to the Institute's programmes 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the challenges faced by rural women in various countries, focusing on their economic and social roles in agriculture, household management, and community development. The representatives' statements highlight the need for access to credit, land ownership, and infrastructure, which are crucial for their participation in rural development.

**Category**
Economic development, Agriculture, forestry and fishing, Employment