In celebration of this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), Indonesian organization The Institute for Studies, Advocacy, and Education (LivE) puts the spotlight on the role women play in boosting awareness and efforts related to sustainability and conservation.
According to the United Nations, women have the highly specialized knowledge of forests from species diversity, management of resources, to conservation and restoration practices that are vital to sustainable development and food security.
In the Philippines, while the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Plan (GEWE Plan) 2019-2025 exists, challenges related to gender disparities in the industry remain.
The Philippine Commission on Women reports that women in the agriculture, fisheries, and forestry sectors constitute only about 25% of the workers and face marginalization in employment, pay, and resource access.
For its part, LivE shared insights on how local organizations can address these problems and give women the right avenue to excel in sustainability and conservation.
LivE emphasized the importance of training sessions addressing women’s rights in forest management.
In one of its sessions that tackled challenges about health, domestic responsibilities, production roles, and social engagement and their link to environmental strains, 52-year-old Rita Wati, a native of Kerinci Seblat National Park and now chairperson of “Women’s Group for Environmental Care Maju Bersama” emerged as a driving force behind conservation efforts.
Wati experienced skepticism from being a woman in a male-dominated field but still persevered and pushed for a proposal that allowed her organization to be involved in managing and conserving Indonesia’s Kerinci Seblat National Park.
She inked a historic conservation partnership agreement with the national park, marking Maju Bersama group as the pioneering women’s group managing a forest area in Indonesia.
“It’s truly a joy. Inspired by our progress, now, women in many villages are no longer silent. They are ready to move together to fight for women’s rights to the environment and forests,” said Rita.
Currently, the Maju Bersama group is a 25-strong community that champions women rights in forest conservation actively engaged in decision-making processes.
Rita leads the park in gender-equitable conservation, aligning with UNESCO’s World Heritage Site standards. Her unwavering determination and successful collaboration between the Maju Bersama group and Kerinci Seblat National Park inspire women to advocate for environmental rights, bannering women empowerment in environmental preservation.
