Why women have an essential role in biodiversity conservation

The author asserts that women, particularly in indigenous communities, are uniquely positioned to lead biodiversity conservation efforts but remain underrepresented in the field. The text highlights a global biodiversity crisis where approximately 10,000 species are lost annually and argues that gender equality in conservation is necessary for effective environmental management. Examples of success are cited from the United Arab Emirates and a community-led initiative in India, while the author urges grantmaking organizations to address gender imbalances in funding applications.

• The world is experiencing a biodiversity crisis characterized by the loss of approximately 10,000 species to extinction every year, a rate 1,000 times faster than any other period in human history.
• Women, especially those in indigenous communities, are disproportionately affected by biodiversity loss, as it increases the time and distance required to collect essential resources like water, fuel, food, and medicine, which hinders their education and income generation.
• Women are significantly underrepresented in conservation leadership and research; men make up 70% of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, and women account for less than 30% of global researchers.
• Analysis from the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund indicates a gender gap in funding requests, with men in Africa and Asia submitting three times as many grant applications as women.
• Community-led conservation models, such as the all-female 'Hargila Army' in India protecting the greater adjutant stork, demonstrate that empowering women can effectively rally broader community support for endangered species.

APA

Al Mubarak, R. (2021). Why women have an essential role in biodiversity conservation. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/women-essential-role-biodiversity-conservation/

Chicago

Al Mubarak, Razan. Why women have an essential role in biodiversity conservation. World Economic Forum, 2021. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/women-essential-role-biodiversity-conservation/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Al Mubarak |first1=Razan |title=Why women have an essential role in biodiversity conservation |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=28 April 2021 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/women-essential-role-biodiversity-conservation/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{almubarak2021why, author = {Al Mubarak, Razan}, title = {{Why women have an essential role in biodiversity conservation}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/women-essential-role-biodiversity-conservation/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }