The article “Gender Equality And State Environmentalism”, written by Nogaard and York addresses the correlation between representation of women and the state of environmentalism and what that means for government. their research looks at various nation states . in the research it states “Women have been estimated to make up 60 to 80 percent of membership in mainstream environmental organizations” (Nogaard and York 509) . In the table below they highlight some nation states and where the states score on the gender equality variable.
WOMEN IN POWER:
Essentially what the research is saying is that having women power in policy and government gives greater likelihood to a better ecosystem and a greater habitat for all living things. , “societies with greater representation of women in Parliament are more prone to ratify environmental treaties”.(Nogaard and York 512)
Women’s Earth Alliance: WEA
Looking at the Women’s Earth alliance we see firsthand how supporting women leaders around the world improves environmental solutions and movements. Some places we have seen the impact is in Indonesia and Nigeria. In Indonesia, Tiza Mafira who is a lawyer who is fighting against the use of single use plastic . Indonesia is the second highest contributor to the use of plastic in the world just behind China. “It produces 3.22 million tons of mismanaged plastic waste every year ” After her initiative four cities immediately banned plastic bags. and with changing policy many places will follow suit.
In Nigeria, Binta Yahaya noticed the issues of women and children who cook with firewood smoke end up having many respiratory issues. She decided to start helping her community by selling “ over 230 clean cookstoves to women in her community” She used her initiative to see higher up policy makers to help get change. Both of these women saw the first hand trauma that was caused for things like plastic and firewood in their regions. the small steps they took led to greater change in the establishment of law and policy. We see how both of these examples illustrate the ideas that Nogaard and York are trying to explain about women and their connectedness to environmentalism.
Bibliography
Women, Politics and the Environment. (2019, March 10). Retrieved from https://womendeliver.org/2019/women-politics-and-the-environment/
This website is about the WEA and discussed examples of women using their power to help with environmentalism solutions.
The World’s Women 2015. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://unstats.un.org/unsd/gender/chapter7/chapter7.html
Thanks for your post, Cassandra. Since we now know, with knowledge from this course and posts like yours, there are layers and layers and layers of oppression and violence toward women, animals and the planet, what shall we do about it? Considering we’re in the middle of a virus epidemic and quarantine, how does this affect how we look at racism, sexism, speciesism, classism, ageism, ableism, and the rest? Does it make us want to really step out of our comfort zone and fight for those less fortunate? It does for me. When this is over and we’re free to move about the world, how do we want the world to be? Is the status quo sufficient for you? Does it scratch all of those itches for equality and respect and acceptance? It doesn’t for me. Not at all. The more I consider our situation, the more I want to participate in changing our situation for EVERYONE. When we have websites like CAIR.org that shows us the discrimination toward muslims in our country and across the globe, are we okay with the fact that we require this website? Why is it that people aren’t gracious and kind to every person of every religion?
Stereotypes drive me absolutely insane. I am married to a man who has these stereotypes in his belief systems and statements. When I can tell he’s going to say something racist regarding another person, I have to say, “No. We’re not doing that. We’re not saying that because it isn’t true.” He, understandably, has fewer and fewer vocal responses to me regarding his racist, sexist, classist regressions, but I’m sure he still maintains them.
My daughters see a strong, outspoken, grey haired mother who gets really pissed when she sees someone being mistreated. They see her step up and speak out to help. This is good. This is just. This is how it should be.