Earth’s Best-kept Secret: Why Women Hold the Blueprint for a Greener Future
A blog by Mani Bajpai, Young Expert at GHRH
Introduction
We frequently search for technological advancements, international regulations, or ground breaking concepts to safeguard our world.
However, what if some of the best ideas have been quietly passed down from generation to generation for centuries? What if we have been undervaluing one of humanity's most valuable assets—the profound, innate wisdom of women?
Women have been custodians of sustainability across cultures and continents, frequently serving as the unsung heroes of environmentally dependent societies. However, society tends to ignore or undervalue this wisdom rather than honouring it.
It’s time to change the narrative and acknowledge that women’s ties to the environment are not merely incidental; rather, they are generational, innate, and vital.
Why Women’s Knowledge is the Key to Sustainability
1. Precious Relics of Traditional Knowledge
Generations of ecological knowledge—knowledge that protects biodiversity, manages resources, and maintains life—are passed down through women, particularly in rural and indigenous communities.
∙ In times of drought, for example, women in Burkina Faso, West Africa, depend on more than 800 species of edible wild plants to provide food for their families (FAO, 2020).
∙ In tiny home gardens in Northern Thailand, women have been known to grow 230 different plant species, many of which were saved from deforestation (Shiva & Dankelman, 1992).
“Let us wait and think about how there is so much more to these rituals than merely survival.”
The goal here is to bring the environment and people into peace. How often do we stop to consider what we might learn from these practices?
2. Ground-level Leadership in Action
When it comes to hands-on leadership, women have played key roles in some of the most significant environmental campaigns.
∙ Consider Wangari Maathai’s Green Belt Movement in Kenya, where 50,000 women planted 20 million trees to address poverty and food insecurity while changing entire ecosystems (MacDonald, 2003).
However, this leadership does not always take place in a public setting. For instance, women have led participatory conservation initiatives in the Amazon Basin that integrate sustainable land-use practices with resource mapping.
Their work focuses on silent revolutions that transform lives rather than lavish statements or accolades.
Bridging Knowledge Gaps for a Better Future
1. From Tradition to Innovation
It is amazing to see that less than 13% of Indian women who work in agriculture truly own the land they work (UN Women, 2020). However, in developing nations, women generate more than 60–80% of food crops (FAO, 2020).
What would happen if these women had complete access to land rights, resources, and technology?
∙ Not only should tradition be respected, but it should also serve as a basis for contemporary creativity.
∙ Initiatives such as Ethiopia's land certification program, which raised women's agricultural production by 20%, demonstrate the transforming power of equal opportunity for women (Deininger et al., 2008).
2. Education: A Catalyst for Change
The Global Partnership for Education (2021) estimates that girls’ earning potential increases by 15–25% for every extra year of education.
Women may now reinvest in sustainable practices since they are financially independent. Additionally, educated women are 60% more likely to influence local legislation and use eco-friendly farming practices (FAO, 2020).
The question now is, why isn’t teaching girls a top priority in the worldwide effort to combat climate change?
Nature and Nurture: A Relationship Rooted in Biology
Let us not forget one fundamental truth: women are natural nurturers.
It is biological in nature and goes beyond cultural conditioning. Women's roles are closely linked to nature, ranging from managing household resources to bringing life into the world.
This link explains why so many projects run by women emphasise sustainability as a way of life rather than just an ideal.
∙ For instance, the Grameen Shakti initiative in Bangladesh has empowered women to become solar energy entrepreneurs, supplying more than 4 million homes with reasonably priced electricity.
This is a triumph for the economy as well as the environment. It demonstrates how the empowerment of women has a positive knock-on impact for everyone.
What’s Still Missing?
1. Respecting and Rewarding Knowledge
Giving women platforms is one thing, but paying attention to and appreciating what they have to say is quite another.
∙ Whether it is with water management in Namibia or seed preservation in Guatemala, women’s ecological knowledge is frequently overlooked in the formulation of public policy.
∙ Shouldn’t these insights receive the same rewards as technological and engineering advancements?
2. Representation Beyond Tokenism
While there has been some progress in getting more women into leadership roles, it is still far from sufficient.
∙ Research indicates that gender-diverse teams have a 21% higher chance of resolving challenging issues (McKinsey, 2018).
What then accounts for the continued under-representation of women in environmental decision-making? Isn’t it time for a 50/50 strategy at all levels, from global climate summits to local governance?
3. Scaling Local Success Stories
Initiatives like India's Barefoot College, which teaches solar technology to rural women, are excellent illustrations of what is feasible.
However, why do we not replicate these models globally? If women from a single hamlet can light up hundreds of homes, just think of what thousands of them could accomplish with the right resources and assistance.
Conclusion: Nurturers of Nature, Keepers of the Future
The relationship that women have with nature is not merely incidental; it is fundamental. According to Vandana Shiva's insightful statement in Staying Alive:
"The foundation of our ecological survival is the work and knowledge of women."
Women mould, care for, and repair their surroundings rather than merely adapting to them. But providing women with chances isn’t the only thing on the horizon. It’s about radically altering our perception of their contributions.
Knowing that their knowledge is a legacy to be honoured, preserved, and cherished rather than a resource to be exploited is the key. The issue of whether or not women may spearhead sustainability initiatives has been resolved.
They’re already there. “When will the world catch up and honour their role?” is the true question.
*The opinions expressed on this blog are those of the Young Experts and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Girls Human Rights Hub. The content shared here is intended to provide insights and perspectives on girls human rights and human rights issues, but it is important to recognise that individual opinions may vary.
References
1. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2020). The State of Food and Agriculture 2020: Overcoming water challenges in agriculture. Retrieved from www.fao.org
2. Shiva, V., & Dankelman, I. (1992). Staying Alive: Women, Ecology, and Development. Zed Books.
3. Deininger, K., Ali, D. A., & Alemu, T. (2008). Assessing the impact of land certification on economic growth and equity. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper.
4. Global Partnership for Education (GPE). (2021). Girls’ education and climate change. Retrieved from www.globalpartnership.org
5. International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (2019). Renewable Energy: A Gender Perspective. Retrieved from www.irena.org
6. MacDonald, M. (2003). Women and Conservation in the Amazon: Case Studies from Fundação Vitória Amazônica. Worldwatch Institute.
7. UN Women. (2020). Progress of the World’s Women: Women, Work, and Poverty. Retrieved from www.unwomen.org
8. World Health Organization (WHO). (2019). Air pollution and its impact on women’s health. Retrieved from www.who.int
9. McKinsey & Company. (2018). Delivering through Diversity. Retrieved from www.mckinsey.com
10. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2002). Traditional knowledge and biodiversity conservation. Case study from Northern Thailand.