Nomad Africa Edition 13

Many examples of the success and perseverance of African women in
conservation provide hope for generations to come. From the
Black Mamba majority-female anti-poaching group in South Africa,
the Akashinga all-female anti-poaching group in Zimbabwe, and the
female rangers in Virunga...
against the ongoing destruction of natural
resources — not only has the potential to
empower them, but also to positively
change their future. Many examples of the
success and perseverance of African
women in conservation provide hope for
generations to come.
From the Black Mamba majority-female antipoaching
group in South Africa, the
Akashinga all-female anti-poaching group in
Zimbabwe, and the female rangers in
Virunga, Africa’s women are showing the
world that protecting natural resources provides
opportunities to rise from social and financial
oppression. There are also women
like eco-activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner
Wangari Maathai, who led the fight
against deforestation in Kenya, and continues
to inspire thousands more like her to
plant more trees. It is strong individuals like
her who are redefining how the world treats
both women and the environment.
What is Gender Mainstreaming?
Around the world, women, men, girls, and
boys have different relationships with the environment
— roles and responsibilities differ
as well as their needs. They also derive different
benefits from their natural surroundings.
With various opportunities and
challenges, the participation of both men
and women in decision-making is vital at
multiple levels — from the household and
community levels, all the way through national
and international spheres.
Evidence shows that enhancing women’s
and girl’s empowerment and promoting
gender equality can trigger transformative
impacts across sectors, resulting in increased
food supply, improved health and economic
security, as well as innovation and efficiency
in forestry, climate change mitigation, plus
protected area and water management.
Gender mainstreaming systematically integrates
gender perspectives into all areas of
the professional world, allowing various
ideas to be equally implemented and acknowledged
in decision-making processes.
Institutionalised discrimination and cultural
biases based on gender uphold some of the
most pervasive inequalities in the world. Although
the fight for gender equality often
prioritises women and their engagement
and empowerment, it does not necessarily
mean that feminism represents the needs of
women only. Nor does it mean that men
cannot be active allies, advocates, and
agents for change. Men must be continuously
engaged to understand issues of discrimination,
(in)equity, and (in)equality and
play their part in the betterment of all.
In urban and rural Africa, the recognition of
the opinions of women is important — they
must be included in decision-making
processes, starting at home and extending
into the workplace and the field.
Empowering women early on at the community
level will allow them to excel in the
workplace with more confidence and skills.
With the close relationship that women
share with the environment, the African
Wildlife Foundation recognises that it is especially
important to achieve gender mainstreaming
in all of its programmes and
policies.
In response to the Sustainable Development
Goal 5 on gender equality, the AWF seeks to
promote a more inclusive approach to advance
equality across the continent. The
comprehensive framework must improve
the positions of all people, and particularly
those of marginalised or disenfranchised
groups.
i
ABOUT THE WRITER
Emma Sollitt interned at African Wildlife
Foundation, supporting Kathleen Fitzgerald,
Vice President Programs East and Southern
Africa. After spending one month at African
Wildlife Foundation's headquarters in
Nairobi, she continued her work from the
Washington DC office. Emma is an undergraduate
going into her third year at St.
Lawrence University with a double major in
History and Government and a minor in
African Studies. She is originally from Jackson
Hole, Wyoming.
Issue 13 | ...Celebrating the world’s richest continent | www.nomadafricamag.com | 97