Women and the Environment

Stressing the value of examining sustainable development through a gender perspective, this United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) publication explores specific policies, strategies, and practices in environmental use and conservation. The purpose of the book is to make the often hidden links between women and the environment visible, with an explicit focus on the gender-related aspects of land, water, and biodiversity conservation and management. UNEP hopes that Women and the Environment will inspire the environmental and sustainable development community to better understand the importance of gender, and to integrate a gender perspective across all of its work. Designed to appeal to women and men alike and enhance their awareness of gender issues, Women and the Environment invites men in particular to take an active interest.

Following an introduction, the second chapter opens with an outline of some of the major issues related to women and the environment. It looks at the broader context of the gaps in gender equality, along with some of the attempts to narrow them. Describing the evolution of development analysis from a focus on women as a separate group to its current more holistic emphasis on gender, the chapter considers an analytical framework for future discussions of women, the environment, and development. Chapters III, IV, and V highlight the importance of exploring biodiversity, desertification, and water management from a gender perspective. They delve into how women use resources, contribute their knowledge, and promote environmental management and conservation. Those chapters also give an overview of the most relevant policy developments and points for future work. The sixth chapter summarises key strategies and policy recommendations for integrating gender perspectives within environmental management. It touches upon the institutional challenges, gender mainstreaming, women's empowerment, and links between opportunities and capabilities. A series of conclusions appear in the seventh and final chapter, which also assesses the challenges and opportunities ahead and gives recommendations for future research and action. The annexes feature definitions, a list of annotations, references and a bibliography, other sources of information, and contact points for contributors to the publication.

Throughout the book, specific illustrations are included to highlight the ways in which women contribute to the well-being and sustainable development of their communities and nations, and to the maintenance of the earth's ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources. These stories were gleaned from case histories submitted by women from around the world that document how women's knowledge and dedication are vital to sustainable environmental management.

The publication results from a partnership between UNEP and the Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO). An international advocacy organisation, WEDO seeks environmental, social, political, and economic justice for all through women's empowerment and equal participation in decision-making, from the local to the global arenas. Women and the Environment is based on existing publications and expertise, and on consultation between organisations and networks. A peer review meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2003 brought together 14 experts who shaped the development of the publication and its recommendations.