Women on wetlands

Environmental degradation, climate change and women’s equality are all intricately linked; there can be no gender justice without environmental justice. In the past, women, like nature, did not have a voice and had to rely upon men to speak for them. Nature can only be represented by those who speak for it too, and today we asked women working on our Rights of Wetlands project to tell us why the rights of nature are so important to them.

Shirley Pazos, Practical Action Bolivia In Bolivia, wetlands are vital lifelines for both biodiversity and the communities that depend on them. However, advocating for the rights of nature in places where even human rights are not fully recognized is particularly complex - especially when policies and governance structures do not yet fully integrate environmental justice with social justice. I firmly believe that true sustainability requires working within the planet’s ecological boundaries - protecting nature while ensuring that policies uphold both the rights of people and the health of ecosystems. Bolivia’s "Ley de Derechos de la Madre Tierra" reflects this balance, recognizing nature as a rights-bearing entity and reinforcing the deep interconnection between people and their environment. Women, in particular, play a crucial role in sustaining this balance. Across many communities, they are the primary stewards of natural resources, managing water resources, sustaining food systems, and protecting ecosystems. When wetlands are degraded, women often bear the brunt of the impact, yet they are also powerful agents of change in restoration and advocacy efforts.

At Practical Action, our vision is deeply rooted in the philosophy of our founder, E.F. Schumacher, who believed that humanity must work with, rather than against, nature. He warned that in attempting to dominate nature, we risk destroying the very foundations that sustain us. His principles are at the heart of our approach today, shaping how we drive transformative change that respects both people and the planet. By recognizing and protecting the rights of wetlands, we are not just preserving ecosystems - we are also reinforcing the resilience of the local communities, particularly women, who depend on them. For Practical Action, this is not just an environmental issue; it is a matter of equity, justice, and long-term sustainability.

Louisa Chinyavu Mwenda, Wetlands International Eastern Africa As a woman from a coastal community in Kenya where the Rights of Wetlands project is currently being implemented, what stands out is the crucial role these rights play to enhance social recognition and facilitate economic empowerment, particularly for women, while also promoting environmental stewardship. My active involvement for the recognition of the Rights of Wetlands has made me appreciate their contribution to translating and reconfiguring the human-nature relationship through empowering communities to foster a more inclusive approach to community resilience and ecological sustainability. Therefore, the Rights of Wetlands are important to me as they represent a vital and transformative shift aimed at harmonizing human actions with the ecological reality.

Gillian Davies, BSC Group USA We are living in a time of unprecedented biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation and loss, and climate destabilization, all of which are tied to wetland degradation and loss. Having spent my entire career as a wetland scientist working to protect and conserve wetlands and seeing that current approaches are failing to meet the moment, Rights of Wetlands offers a beacon of hope that aligns with other rights, such as those of women and Indigenous Peoples. Recognizing the inherent rights and sentience of other-than-human living beings, wetlands and nature connects to a deeper awareness of the living beingness of the natural world that I have had since I was a child, and that aligns with the teachings of many Indigenous Peoples. I feel particular gratitude for the Kichwa Original Peoples of Sarayaku, Ecuador, who are bringing their traditional knowledge in this regard to the world stage, and who set an example for how to live as members of the Earth community.

Deirdre Jafferally, Cobra Collective Guyana The Rupununi Wetlands in Guyana is a stunning place of beauty, rich in culture and biodiversity. It is a place that provides for those in need. I have worked in the Rupununi Wetlands for three decades and in that time I have seen the central role of Indigenous women in biodiversity conservation, food security and maintaining traditional knowledge and culture. Working to ensure that the wetlands are sustainably managed using a Rights of Nature approach provides an alternative vision for the future, a future in which Indigenous Peoples and women in particular, can thrive. The Rupununi Wetlands may not be my permanent home but every time I come back it is like coming home, therefore helping to secure its future is important to me.

Chaturangi Wickramaratne, International Water Management Institute Sri Lanka Rights of Nature offers us a different pathway to mend the exploitative relationship we have with Nature. It makes us relook at how we are interacting with Nature and the implications our activities have on the wellbeing of wider living and non-living beings. I feel that modern economies and governance frameworks are very detached from the reality that we are all co-dependent; on each other and on ecological processes. There is a growing body of scientific evidence to depict this interconnectedness. As a smarter species, we have higher emotional intelligence to do the right thing, which is to stop our selfish ways and treat Nature with respect. Recognising the Rights of Nature and the rights of women does not hinder societal wellbeing but rather encourages ethical and more responsible actions that benefit everyone and the planet. I believe that this movement has come at a time when it is most needed, and this is the transformation that we should all try to support. It is not as unimaginable as some may think!

Rebecca Woodward, Cobra Collective UK As someone that is passionate about wetlands and their conservation, I believe that the Rights of Wetlands is essential in order to address the climate and biodiversity crisis we are all facing. Wetlands of all types around the globe are experiencing extensive loss and degradation, and existing wetland conservation and management approaches have failed to stem this tide. Rights of Wetlands offers an alternative vision that aligns with Indigenous and local communities’ worldviews and recognises the enduring rights and the legal and living personhood of all wetlands around the world. There has never been a more important time for a paradigm shift towards a future where the relationship between Nature and humans is based on Indigenous and feminist teachings of equality, respect, kindness, care and gratitude.