Mother Earth - The Legend of Aataentsic, in Gatineau, Québec © Dennis Jarvis
Greenleaf is committed to effective and inclusive solutions for a healthy and sustainable world, and we recognize women and girls are disproportionately impacted by environmental stressors, including climate change. Women are over-represented among the world’s poor and are often more dependent on threatened natural resources. They continue to face significant barriers to accessing land, financial resources, decision-making circles and more.
Preserving natural resources and mitigating climate change will require gender equality. We cannot solve challenges without fully considering the needs, voices, and capabilities of half the global population. Women often possess local knowledge and wisdom, passed on from one generation to the next, which is key to adapting to increasingly frequent disasters. Women also tend to focus more on community wellbeing rather than individual wellbeing, and often adopt sustainability practices at the household and local level. Their participation in politics correlates with increased cooperation across party and ethnic lines. When empowered, they become agents of transformative change.
More and more women – and girls – are making their voices heard and leading the way towards a more sustainable and inclusive planet. However, they are still under-represented in policy- and decision-making and positions of power more broadly.
On International Women’s Day, we reflect on progress that has been achieved and important work that lies ahead for a more equitable future. Greenleaf is committed to empowering women to develop and accelerate solutions to our greatest environmental challenges.