ECOFEMINISM EXPLAINED

Ecofeminism believes environmental degradation and the domination of women are both due to patriarchy and capitalism. This belief argues that conditions in society and the environment can be improved only by changing our value systems.  Ecofeminism highlights values like cooperation, non-violence, caring and sustainability over aggression, might and domination.

There are three schools of ecofeminist thought — the first is Cultural Feminism, which believes that women, based on their biological powers of procreation and caring, have a special and deeper relationship with nature. Social ecofeminism believes women’s links with nature are shaped entirely by social and material factors like education and economic status.  Socialist ecofeminists state that the connections between women and nature are based both on biological factors and social facts.

Ecofeminist endeavours include the famed 1973 Chipko movement in Uttarakhand, India, when rural women protected forests from loggers, often by embracing the trees. In 1977, women united in Kenya to combat desertification by planting millions of trees, creating the Green Belt Movement.  In the 1980s, women in Harlem united to turn vacant lots into community gardens. This urban greening model spread to other American locations including Detroit where, in 1994, women developing city gardens called themselves ‘the Gardening Angels’.

How women can manage Climate Change?

Several facts:

• Women account for about six out of ten of the world’s poorest people.
• Only about 21.5% of the world’s parliamentarians are women.
• Almost half of the world’s farmers are women- but women are less tha 15%  landholders around the world.
• 2/3rds of the about 796 million illiterate people globally are women.
• 90% countries have laws that discriminate against women.
• For every 100 men between 25-34 years, living in extreme poverty, there are 122 such women.
• With more women systematically pushed into poverty, women are also disproportionately affected by climate change, droughts, floods, shrinking soil productivity, etc.
• Yet, women hold the key- the education of girls could be a break through in protecting the world from more climate change.
• By investing in girls’ education, the world could reduce up-to 51.48 giga tons of emissions by 2050.
• This improvement can come from better family planning and women- who are more effective stewards of food, soil, trees and water- being involved meaningfully in decisions on optimally using nature’s resources, and rejuvenating these.

Matter referenced:

• Times of India, Ahmedabad, Saturday, 8th February, 2020.
• Research: Encyclopaedia Britannica, National Geographic, The Guardian, UN Org., UNDP, World Bank, FAO, drawdawn. Org.

By: Dr. Bhawana Asnani.

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