October 15th marks the International Day of Rural Women – a day that is dedicated to the millions of women living in remote, rural places and celebrates their essential contributions to rural development and agriculture. This day is a reminder that rural women have critical roles – whether paid or unpaid – in managing, conserving, exploiting and utilising natural resources.

Ecological sustainable development requires the complete and optimal engagement of rural women, and all women. Beyond a moral imperative, equal participation and engagement is critical as rural women are uniquely situated – with critical in-depth knowledge from livelihood activities tied to environmental quality and ecosystem services. Rural women’s knowledge, agency and collective action are central to improving resource productivity and efficiency prospects, ecosystem and biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, and climate change mitigation.

Yet women’s contributions to critical environmental sectors are often overlooked, ignored and undervalued in regions like the Asia-Pacific.[1] In Fiji, for example, one study explored how overlooking the contributions of rural women to the fisheries sector risks uninformed policy development and decision-making.[2]

 

The situation of women in rural areas also remains challenging – with a range of inequalities, such as discriminatory laws and entrenched social norms, impinging on human rights and restricting women’s potential as agents of change, especially in comparison to men and their urban counterparts.[3]

Although we need increased participation and engagement among rural women, caution is needed here as viewing rural women as ‘sustainability saviours’ carries its own set of issues.[4] Too often, women’s labour, much alike the natural environment that supports us, is treated as an infinite resource. [5] Their time cannot be infinitely drawn upon to sustain people and environments, especially without considering their well-being and desires, and existing high workloads. We cannot feminise responsibility, or this will only entrench and worsen gender inequalities.[4]

Ecological sustainable development initiatives should be harmonized with efforts to challenge larger power structures and inequalities and improve women’s overall well-being. Gender equality and sustainable development can reinforce each other in powerful ways.[4]

The journey towards ecological sustainable development has and must continue to look to more inclusive and collaborative approaches for addressing the tremendous environmental crises of our time. Women must have an equal voice in decision-making regarding the sustainable use of land, water and other natural resources. Only then can the environment and women benefit equally from their productivity.

Our gender-focused activities at ICEM have been diverse – from putting forward recommendations for inclusive communication of disaster risk and climate information in Myanmar, exploring options for improving women’s opportunities in sustainable tourism activities in Fiji and Cambodia, to preparing an action plan for mainstreaming gender into flood and drought resilience plans and measures in the 9C-9T sub-basin.[6]

This International Day of Rural Women is a critical reminder that women have been and must continue to be central actors in promoting sustainability pathways and green transformations. At ICEM, we look forward to continue finding improved ways of empowering and engaging women in our journey towards ecological sustainable development.

 

[1] USAID. (2021). Gender Equality and Inclusion in the Fisheries Sector in Asia: Issue Analysis and Recommendations.

[2] Thomas, A., Mangubhai, S., Fox, M., Meo, S., Miller, K., Naisilisili, W., Veitayaki, V., & Waqairatu, S. (2021). Why they must be counted: Significant contributions of Fijian women fishers to food security and livelihoods. Ocean & Coastal Management, 205: 105571.

[3] UN Women. (2018). Learn the facts: Rural women and girls.

[4] UN Women. (2014). The World Survey on the role of women in development 2014: Gender equality and sustainable development.

[5] UN Women. 2021. Beyond COVID-19: A Feminist Plan for Sustainability and Social Justice.

[6] ICEM. (n.d.). Strengthening Early Warning, Resilient Agriculture and Rural Development.