Ecological sustainability in feminist economics

🌍 Gender and Environmental Challenges in the Developing World 1. Disproportionate Vulnerability Women in developing countries are often more vulnerable to environmental challenges due to: i). Poverty and limited access to resources (land, credit, education, technology) ii). Heavy dependence on natural resources (forests, water, land) for daily livelihoods iii). Limited voice in decision-making processes (community, policy, household) iv). Increased burden from environmental degradation (e.g., walking farther for water/firewood) 2. Key Environmental Challenges Affecting Women a). Climate Change: Women face higher exposure to climate risks (e.g., floods, droughts) but have fewer resources to adapt b) Deforestation: Loss of fuelwood, herbs, and food sources, often collected by women. c). Water Scarcity: Women and girls spend more time collecting water, reducing time for education or paid work. d). Agricultural Decline: Women farmers have less access to inputs and land rights but are responsible for food production. e). Waste & Pollution: Indoor air pollution from cooking with biomass affects women’s health more severely. 3. Gender Inequalities That Exacerbate the Crisis Legal barriers to land ownership Gender-blind policies that fail to reflect women’s needs or voices Underrepresentation in environmental governance Informal labor roles that go unrecognized in adaptation and mitigation programs 4. Women as Environmental Stewards Despite the challenges, women are vital agents of environmental protection: *Indigenous women preserve traditional ecological knowledge *Women’s groups lead local conservation, reforestation, and clean energy initiatives *Female farmers are innovating in climate-smart agriculture 5. Pathways for Change To ensure equity and sustainability: *Integrate gender analysis into environmental programs and climate action *Support women’s access to land, finance, and green technology *Invest in women-led initiatives on conservation, resilience, and green jobs *Strengthen women’s leadership in environmental decision-making FEMNET - African Women's Development and Communication Network, Women Educational Researchers of Kenya, Women's Empowerment Link Gender Equity Unit, UoN Anthropology and Gender Students Association, Gender Equity Policy Institute (GEPI), Institute for Faith and Gender Empowerment (IFAGE), CGIAR GENDER Accelerator, Gender, Work & Organization, HBS Race, Gender & Equity Initiative, UN Environment Programme, Gender, Adolescent Transitions & Environment (GATE) Program, EU Environment and ClimateEnvironmental Defense Fund Europe

“We cannot solve a crisis rooted in exploitation with the same economic logic that sustains it.” In this piece for Policy Matters (CEESP IUCN), I explore what biodiversity finance looks like when we centre care, not profit. Drawing on (eco)feminist economics, I reflect on why dominant market-based approaches risk deepening the very inequalities and extractive dynamics driving biodiversity loss. Some key shifts this perspective calls for: • Redirecting resources toward public initiatives and community-led conservation • Valuing care, collective provisioning, and local knowledge systems • Moving beyond commodification toward democratic and relational governance 👉 Read & Share: https://lnkd.in/e6Nvu3xS Curious to hear your thoughts—what would truly transformative biodiversity finance look like? Ameyali Ramos Carla Bengoa Rojas Ana Di Pangracio Nicola Sorsby Karen Wong-Perez Katherine Despot-Belmonte Mwanahamisi Singano Félix Feider Helen Tugendhat Terence Hay-Edie Heitor Dellasta Ramson Karmushu

Feminist macroeconomics offers more than critique; it provides tools to confront extractive systems that prioritise profit over people. The African Feminist Macroeconomic Academy (AFMA) centred African feminist thought, feminist economics, and political economy to interrogate natural resource governance across the region. The focus extended beyond technical frameworks to the lived consequences of extraction, including invisible labour, environmental harm, and exclusion from decision-making and benefit-sharing. Through a feminist political ecology lens, connections between land, labour, care, and power were made explicit. Legal and governance frameworks were analysed for their gaps, silences, and failures, alongside practical strategies for feminist advocacy across community, national, regional, and AU policy spaces. AFMA continues to strengthen feminist leadership that is capable of reshaping economic narratives, advancing accountability, and building alternatives rooted in justice and collective well-being. #Femonomics

Climate Change is More Than an Environmental Crisis—It Is a Gender and Justice Issue. Over the past few months, I have been conducting research with Munda women in the climate-vulnerable coastal region of Bangladesh. One message emerged consistently: Climate change does not affect everyone equally. Using Feminist Political Ecology (FPE), our study shows that climate stress intensifies gendered inequalities through five interconnected pathways: ✔️ Unequal access to resources and livelihoods ✔️ Increased unpaid care work and time poverty ✔️ Institutional exclusion and ecological injustice ✔️ Everyday insecurity, restricted mobility, and violence risks ✔️ Women's agency through Indigenous knowledge and collective resilience The conceptual framework below illustrates how environmental degradation intersects with gendered power relations to produce gendered climate insecurity among Indigenous women. This research reminds us that effective climate adaptation is not only about infrastructure—it must also recognize women's invisible labour, Indigenous knowledge, and social justice. I look forward to sharing the full findings soon and engaging with researchers and practitioners working at the intersection of climate change, gender, Indigenous rights, and resilience. #ClimateChange #FeministPoliticalEcology #GenderEquality #IndigenousPeoples #Munda #Bangladesh #ClimateJustice #EcologicalJustice #Women'sRights #ClimateAdaptation #Resilience #DevelopmentResearch #PoliticalEcology #MixedMethodsResearch #SustainableDevelopment

Indigenous Feminist Ecology (IFE) considers women as part of nature rather than separate from it. Through the recent survey that we conducted in the rural areas of Cameroon, indigenous women described their relationships with land, water, forests, and animals as reciprocal, whereby they mentioned their responsibilities as well as rights towards these three main resources (land, water, and forests). The research we did and the data we collected in these indigenous communities of Cameroon enabled us to understand how indigenous women and other marginalized Indigenous peoples interact with, manage, and protect their lands, waters, and ecosystems. Our data collection also examined how patriarchy, environmental degradation, and climate change affect these reciprocal relationships. But despite these challenges (patriarchy, environmental degradation, and climate change), many indigenous women in the Eastern and Southern regions of Cameroon have developed new ecological solutions that help them to adapt to climate change and improve the farming systems. These ecological solutions are based on the Indigenous Environmental Knowledge (IEK) that is transmitted from generation to generation (mother to daughter) in their community. The indigenous feminist ecology perspective, which we developed in this research, argues that securing Indigenous women's access to land is essential for environmental sustainability, climate adaptation, and social justice. When women have secure land rights, they are able to apply traditional ecological knowledge, conserve local biodiversity, protect forests, and adopt climate-resilient farming practices. Access to land strengthens women’s economic independence while also reinforcing their role as environmental stewards and custodians of traditional knowledge. Consequently, improving indigenous women's land access in rural areas is not only a matter of gender equality but also a critical strategy for strengthening community resilience and ecological sustainability. In the coming weeks, the results of this research will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Innocent Antoine HOUEDJI Grace Ananda muriel veldman Daphne Gondhalekar Pamela Duran Diaz Walter T. de Vries Ghita Abouyoub Ruth Murambadoro Pr. Abderrahim ID-RAIS nadine yango Ruth Hall Moha EL-AYACHI Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Scuola di Dottorato Agrisystem Università Cattolica Uchendu Eugene Chigbu

Everyone that talks about climate change, often talk about rising temperatures, carbon emissions, floods, droughts, deforestation, and biodiversity loss. What they do not talk about enough is the face of the climate crisis. And very often than not, that face is a woman. Across the world, women and girls are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation and climate change. Yet they are also among the most powerful agents of environmental protection, climate resilience, and sustainable development. Climate justice cannot be achieved without gender justice. The climate crisis is not gender-neutral. When floods destroy homes and farmlands and water resources are polluted, women often bear the responsibility of rebuilding households and caring for affected families. Across Nigeria and throughout the Global South, women are leading environmental movements,( Rooted Rising Initiative ) restoring ecosystems, advancing sustainable agriculture, advocating for climate justice, and building resilient communities. Perfect Johndick Yet their contributions often remain underrepresented in climate conversations and decision-making spaces. This must change. In communities across the Niger Delta, The consequences of environmental injustice are not experienced equally. Women often carry a disproportionate share of the social, economic, and health impacts. And yet, despite these challenges, women continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience by organizing, advocating, educating, restoring and leading. This reality lies at the heart of eco-feminism. Eco-feminism recognizes the interconnected relationship between the exploitation of nature and the marginalization of women. It argues that systems that devalue the environment often perpetuate inequalities that affect women and other vulnerable groups. At its core, eco-feminism is not simply about protecting women or protecting nature.It is about recognizing that sustainable societies cannot exist where either people or the planet are treated as expendable. The fight for environmental justice is therefore inseparable from the fight for social justice. And if we are serious about climate action, women must not merely be included in the conversation and be empowered to lead it. Women are not victims waiting to be rescued. They are leaders creating solutions, innovators transforming communities, advocates holding institutions accountable, guardians of traditional knowledge and environmental stewardship and are essential partners in building a climate-resilient future. Cheers to women leading climate advocacy campaigns. Cheers to women educating future generations. Cheers to women demanding accountability for environmental harm. Cheers to women building sustainable futures against extraordinary odds. Today, we honor you, whose work is creating a healthier planet and a more just society. #worldenvironmentday2026 #climatejustice #genderjustice #ecofeminism #womenforclimate