On International Women's Day we would like to celebrate all the women who tirelessly give so much for their communities, their environment, and the future of us all. Women throughout history have made positive contributions to our environment, whether at a local level or Internationally. We may have heard of marine biologist Rachel Carson and her amazing book Silent Spring that launched the modern environmental movement. If you have not yet read Silent Spring do. It is a brilliant work of ecology, connection, and understanding the intrinsic oneness of everything. Or Jane Goodall whose work with Gorillas in the Congo has protected, and given us amazing insights into, some of our nearest biological cousins for decades. More recently young women like Hilda Nakabuye, Autumn Peltier, and Xiye Bastida have shown that standing up and speaking your truth can capture the public imagination, spark action, and go at least some way towards holding politicians to account.
Despite these inspirational women and so so many more that make a huge difference to the lives of others in their own communities daily, women's voices are to often lost or marginalised in debates around the natural world. To often governments, corporations, and society look at resource use and extraction over true biological sustainability and the lived experience of families. Women in many countries do not have the same economic or social status in law or in practice. Gender based violence is still on the increase and the Covid pandemic has highlighted even further the inequality with which people are treated based on their gender. Without gender equality and social justice, environmental issues will always affect the most marginalised in our world.
Which women and their stories would you like to celebrate and share today?
