SEO Riders:
– Indigenous women described as “essential” leaders in crisis response and environmental stewardship.
– Report outlines disproportionate climate impact on women and their key roles in adaptation.
– Urgent call for inclusion in policymaking, legal empowerment, and equitable financing.
A major new report underscores how indigenous women are vital agents of climate resilience and human rights defense amid intersecting crises. While they face disproportionate burdens—such as longer treks for water, loss of livelihoods, elevated risk of gender-based violence, and health threats—these women are spearheading adaptation and conservation efforts in their communities. The report emphasizes their deep-rooted traditional knowledge—ranging from ancestral weather predictions to sustainable resource practices—and calls for this expertise to be recognized as scientific and technical, not merely cultural.
However, the report warns that Indigenous women remain excluded from critical decision-making, regional climate frameworks, and funding opportunities, despite custodianship of ecosystems that safeguard 80% of global biodiversity . It recommends urgent steps, including legal land rights, gender-responsive climate finance, and mandated participation at national and international policy tables. African examples—like Nigeria’s National Adaptation Strategy with gender components, and grassroots eco-feminist platforms—show tangible benefits when Indigenous women are empowered in climate leadership
