Women Environmental Defenders and Covid-19: Lessons for Transformative Disaster Risk Reduction

The document examines the role of women environmental defenders during the Covid-19 pandemic, treating the pandemic as a disaster. It argues that while the crisis magnified pre-existing vulnerabilities for marginalized groups and increased the domestic burden on women, women environmental defenders' networks were critical in providing relief and information to isolated communities. The brief highlights how these organizations adapted through digital tools and increased collaboration, ultimately strengthening their capacity for transformative DRR by addressing the root causes of vulnerability and advocating for socio-environmental justice.

• The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the vulnerabilities of marginalized groups, including women, Indigenous peoples, and Dalits, due to pre-existing social structures that limited their access to healthcare, formal employment, and timely information.
• Women faced increased time poverty and limited public participation during the pandemic because of gendered expectations and a rise in care and domestic responsibilities, such as homeschooling and ensuring food security.
• Women environmental defenders' networks in Nepal and the Philippines were essential for disaster risk reduction during the pandemic, using their local presence to provide food, masks, sanitizers, and livelihood support to remote and marginalized communities.
• Organizations adapted to mobility restrictions by shifting to digital tools, including providing smartphones and cellular data to communities. Specific examples include the Media Advocacy Group in Nepal using radio programmes and Lilak in the Philippines using chain text messages to reach Indigenous women.
• The pandemic strengthened the capacity of women environmental defenders by fostering collaboration between networks, increasing the use of social media to reach youth, and creating entry points for advocacy, such as the Charter of Demands developed by the Women-Friendly Disaster Management group in Nepal.
• Women environmental defenders contribute to transformative DRR by addressing the root causes of disaster vulnerability and challenging the social structures and power dynamics that facilitate environmental destruction.

APA

Pross, C., Kim, D., & Vigil, S. (2022). Women Environmental Defenders and Covid-19: Lessons for Transformative Disaster Risk Reduction. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/brief-wed-and-covid-19-v2-15.09.2022.pdf

Chicago

Pross, Camille, Dayoon Kim, and Sara Vigil. Women Environmental Defenders and Covid-19: Lessons for Transformative Disaster Risk Reduction. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2022. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/brief-wed-and-covid-19-v2-15.09.2022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Pross |first1=Camille |last2=Kim |first2=Dayoon |last3=Vigil |first3=Sara |title=Women Environmental Defenders and Covid-19: Lessons for Transformative Disaster Risk Reduction |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2022 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/brief-wed-and-covid-19-v2-15.09.2022.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{pross2022women, author = {Pross, Camille and Kim, Dayoon and Vigil, Sara}, title = {{Women Environmental Defenders and Covid-19: Lessons for Transformative Disaster Risk Reduction}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2022}, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/brief-wed-and-covid-19-v2-15.09.2022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }