International Women’s Day: Why is gender equity important in the fight to save nature?
The climate and nature crises are a magnifier, escalating and enhancing the issues of gender inequity all over the world. Women are integral to solutions, as well as the most impacted. Read more to find out why gender equity is vital to save nature!
By Sarah Brady, Head of Campaign Strategy & Communications
Wherever you are in the world, no matter your profession, situation or background, you should care about gender equity. The climate and nature crises are already having an enormous impact on the way we live our lives; from food security to increased natural disasters, we are all vulnerable. What you may not know is that the way women are treated in our societies has a direct impact on developing effective solutions.
Countries with a higher percentage of women in political leadership positions have lower carbon dioxide emissions1. Environmental ministries with better gender balance have stronger commitments to international environmental goals2. Female environmental leadership also results in more inclusive policies, ensuring the people who are most vulnerable to the impact of the climate and nature crises are better protected3. Companies with greater gender diversity are more successful in cutting carbon dioxide emissions4. Environmental policies that do not address the empowerment of women are less effective5.
If we want to solve and reduce the impact of the climate and nature crises, women must be integral at all levels of decision making. This means when countries gather at COPs (Conferences of the Parties) to agree global goals to protect nature, discussions on gender equity are not happening in a separate room, away from the real negotiations. It means that when decisions are made on recruitment, speakers, spokespersons, panels, committees, leadership and so on, gender balance is not a ‘nice to have’ but instead an essential component of how organisations are run and represented. It means that girls are actively encouraged, supported and given resources to pursue STEM careers.
According to the UN, 80% of people displaced by climate-related disasters are women6. Women in developing countries are often disproportionately responsible for providing water, food, firewood and agricultural income for their families7. As climate change and nature loss ravage landscapes, women have to work harder and girls give up their education to continue providing for their families8. Yet women are often excluded from decision making and lack access to climate mitigation measures.
Feature Image: A project that will contribute to empower women through green entrepreneurship, notably gardening and processing local natural products © Elena Serra Sánchez
International Women’s Day campaign describes gender equity as follows: Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. To read more about the difference between equality and equity, click here.
The climate and nature crises are a magnifier, escalating and enhancing the issues of gender inequity all over the world. Women are integral to solutions, as well as the most impacted. Wherever you are in the world, no matter your profession, situation or background, we are all responsible for making decisions that promote the inclusion of women.
To find out more about how BirdLife International champions women around the world click on the links below:
- https://www.birdlife.org/news/2025/02/11/celebrating-the-remarkable-women-within-the-birdlife-partnership-part-1/
- https://www.birdlife.org/news/2025/01/30/conserving-malawis-chia-lagoon-through-a-community-led-approach/
- https://www.birdlife.org/news/2024/03/08/guardians-of-the-andes-indigenous-women-leaders-in-conservation/
- https://www.birdlife.org/news/2024/02/11/against-the-tide-women-in-science-and-conservation/
- https://www.birdlife.org/news/2022/09/30/women-need-to-carve-a-path/
