Women of the Earth

Women Bear the Brunt of Climate Disruption, yet Lead with Solutions

Climate change disproportionally impacts women. This inequality especially affects those from marginalized communities and low-to-middle-income countries, where structural inequality and social roles frame accessibility to knowledge and safety. Yet, while women are hit hardest by climate disasters, they are also pioneers of climate adaptation. This experience of women in the face of climate change reveals jarring truths on the realities of the frontlines. However, the community of women uplifting and empowering other women in the fight for environmental justice and gender equality is inspirational. Meaningful work by groups throughout the world are making a difference in ending gender injustice and inequalities. Behind these broad strokes lie specific, often devastating inequalities, along with the remarkable women led organizations transforming them into opportunities for change.

When extreme weather disasters occur, women face a higher mortality rate than men and are more likely to become displaced. As much as 80% of people displaced by climate change are female. During these climate change events, the rate of female related violence tends to increase, the number of early and forced marriages grows, and access to resources decreases which impacts family planning materials and reproductive health. In the aftermath of disasters, women and girls in rural areas feel the strain on natural resources as they are often in charge of securing food, water, and firewood. They have to walk farther and work harder to support their families when disasters hit. 

Yet, these same people who are impacted the most are also leading their communities towards mitigating the effects of climate change and making a difference for a more sustainable world. Women in the face of climate change, should be seen as powerful agents of change, not victims of their fractured environments. Mothers and women often become first responders in face of disaster. They learn the skills needed to rebuild their communities and adapt to their changed climates. As farmers, women produce half of the world’s food, all while spearheading the adoption of sustainable practices and technologies, adapting to climate change by adopting low-impact or organic soil management techniques, and leading community based restoration efforts. As a people, women fearlessly advocate for their rights, facing environmental justice and social justice issues through climate action movements. As advocacy is no easy feat, women leading these efforts need support systems. Here are three organizations supporting and leading efforts in building movements for sustainability, uplifting women leaders, building resilience to climate change, and advocating for environmental and social justice. The programs and reach of these communities are vast, so each summary below demonstrates just a snap shot of their work and some ways they are asking for others to get involved.

Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO)

For over 35 years, WEDO has been a global feminist advocacy organization that advances feminist leadership and solutions for a just and healthy planet. Their work includes advising government and United Nations (UN) agencies on intersectional and just policies, advocating for women’s human rights, building policy facilitated by collaboration of diverse groups to create a sustainable future, and training hundreds of women in leadership development each year. 

They also act as a bridge between women and accessing spaces of influence. By handling the logistics, providing financial support, and developing leadership skills for women advocates, they remove barriers from allowing these necessary voices to be heard at global forums, United Nations (UN) meetings, international conferences, and advocacy campaigns. In a 25 year time frame (2009-2024), their teams supported 485 trips for 213 women across 73 countries, particularly from Lease Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), to attend 41 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change meetings and negotiations. 

And yet, their work and influence extends far beyond this. They have programs with vast missions. Some focus on advocating for change in the United States, while others create connections with their partner organizations to fund grassroots projects. One program, titled The Gender Climate Tracker, supports efforts to further the limited research on the intersection of gender and the environment. The work of WEDO is instrumental in creating policy and uplifting the non-male experience to highlight change where it is needed most. To support and get involved with their efforts as an advocate, donor, or volunteer, see their page on getting involved.

Women’s Earth Alliance (WEA)

The Women’s Earth Alliance, or the WEA, lives by the phrase “When women thrive, the Earth thrives.” They root their work on supporting the ripple effect, where uplifting one woman or one community has an impact on other women and other communities, which allows for the positive impact to flourish. Since 2006 their work has reached 52,000 women leading environmental projects in 31 countries, which has influenced over 24 million people, demonstrating the true impact of the ripple effect. They collaborate with regionally-led Program Leads throughout Africa, the Americas, Asia, and cross regional river areas to offer skills, tools, mentorship, funding, and a global alliance. These resources support grassroots movements, women-led climate initiatives, and eco-enterprises of all different sorts. Program Leads pioneer these projects in topics including, but not limited to restoring forests, implementing clean energy, building economic autonomy for women, developing accessible agricultural schools, and promoting traditional, sustainable, and indigenous farming practices.

A large aspect of their work involves educating women on skills that can build micro-enterprises, allowing them to support themselves and their families. For example, WEA hosted training for women in Kakamega, where Kenya’s last tropical rain forest is located, to plant and grow trees despite difficult conditions. As of 2023, these women groups collectively grew 34,000 trees. The success of the project generated income for the women groups, allowing them to support their families and develop economic independence. This work gained the WEA recognition from other governments, such as the Government of Uganda, which offered their support of forest restoration by donating 15 million tree seedlings. Projects like these have proven the impact of the Women’s Earth Alliance in supporting and training women to become entrepreneurs.

To help fund instrumental programs run by the WEA, consider shopping from their partners and “ecopreneur” supported by the WEA. To get involved with this organization, see their career and internship opportunities, attend an event to learn more about their work, or invest in the movement of women making a more sustainable world.

The Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network, International (WECAN)

Rooted in systemic change, WECAN International is a solutions-based organization that engages women across the world in policy advocacy, supports on-the-ground projects, training, and movement justice for rights-based approach to climate justice. Their efforts are multifaceted and have reached sectors such as forestry, education, food security, nature advocacy, mobilization, and story telling. In addition, they work on mobilizing specific movements. 

For example, in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Escazú Agreement is an initiative that protects the right of land defenders and legally binds participants from taking advantage of forests, vulnerable populations, and people defending the forests. WECAN has been advocating for this agreement by mobilizing and supporting women leaders and women land defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean. By ensuring that these voices are uplifted and heard, they have helped protect Indigenous communities from the impacts of deforestation, illegal logging, and mining. 

Additionally, much like the Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), WECAN actively contributes at the United Nations Climate Change negotiations by sending women leaders and diverse global allies to advocate and speak out at these events. They provide a strong force in uplifting the voices of women from diverse backgrounds and emphasize the importance of hearing the stories women have to share. With their platform, Women Speak, they have created a space for stories, case studies, and solutions from the frontlines of climate change. These works share a collective goal of bringing the female perspective on climate change into the narrative. They are building a database to uplift the work done by women, for women and the climate. To hear these stories, check out WECAN’s page on Women Speak. 

To learn more about the work WECAN is currently getting involved with and how you can support them, you can follow this link to join their network, see what positions on their team might be the perfect fit for you, or support their cause by donating today.

The Power You Have and How to Use It

From the boardrooms of the United Nations to the forests of Kenya, women are proving that they are not just survivors of climate change but architects of climate solutions. The organizations highlighted here, WEDO, WEA, and WECAN, represent just the beginning of what's possible when we invest in women as climate leaders rather than viewing them merely as climate victims. Their collective reach of millions demonstrates that supporting one woman creates an effect that transforms entire communities. Every tree planted, every policy advocated for, and every voice lifted represents a step toward a world where environmental and social justice go hand in hand. The path forward is clear. We must amplify these voices, fund these initiatives, and recognize that climate justice and gender equity are inseparably linked. When we support these organizations and the women they champion, we're not just fighting climate change but building a more equitable world where those most affected by environmental challenges are empowered to lead the charge toward healing our planet.