Women's Empowerment and
Environmental Protection Efforts
in Resource-Rich Nations in Africa
Research Paper Prospectus
Nancy Deyo
March 9, 2012
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My question of interest for the research paper is as follows: How do the outcomes
differ when women are empowered versus excluded from participation in
environmental protection efforts in resource-rich nations in Africa?
This question has both academic relevance and practical significance for nongovernmental
organizations
(NGOs)
and
governmental
bodies
dealing
with
environmental protection and reversing the effects of environmental degradation.
According to Clapp and Dauvergne (“Paths to a Green World,” 2011), “social greens”
argue that global capitalism feeds environmental destruction, marginalizes women and
imposes patriarchal domination. The way forward involves empowering women,
promoting ecological justice and supporting local and indigenous knowledge.
In terms of women's potential, women have created coalitions, associations and
NGOs to tackle the everyday challenges of living in environmentally damaged regions.
As such, women's capabilities and talents for intervention and development should be
harnessed in order to address multinational corporations' (MNCs) environmental
degradation situations (Anugwom & Anugwom, 2008).
At a macro level, there is a strong correlation between nations with high levels of
women's environmental NGOs and low levels of various forms of environmental
degradation (Shandra, Shandra & London, 2008). Using case studies from several subSaharan African countries, evidence shows that increasing women's participation in
communities is an effective strategy for environmental protection and sustainable
development (Coleman, 2008). Further, according to Women's Earth Alliance – a
women's environmental NGO working in 13 African nations – women’s unique position
relative to families and their communities can make them key agents of change as they
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adapt to environmental realities. In contrast, when women are excluded from key
decision-making roles, it leads to environmental destruction, deterioration of health and
increased levels of poverty.
Therefore, answering this question and demonstrating the positive impact of
women's empowerment on the environment has the potential to change women's roles in
their communities, involve them at a regional/national level in environmental protection
and policy-making, and reverse the effects of environmental degradation from
deforestation, oil and other damaging extractive industries.
This question relates to a number of critical questions and viewpoints in the areas of
globalization, development and the environment. Most of the perspectives (Clapp and
Dauvergne’s “Paths to a Green World,” 2011) are those of the social greens who argue
that effective solutions to environmental problems will continue unless women's voices
are integrated into the dialogue. They believe that the social injustice arising from
globalization leads to inequality and industrialization and contributes to the eradication of
women's rights. Further, social greens contend that society needs to focus on local
solutions to help those most affected by global economic change – women.
Importantly, social greens believe that women and indigenous people who would
have been forced off of their land by global/state economic processes have rich local
knowledge and practices that can help preserve the environment. This raises critical
questions regarding the empowerment and education of women and the need to respect
women's rights in the new global political economy. Finally, social greens call for
measures to listen to the voices of marginalized women who hold critical environmental
knowledge in the process of political and economic globalization.
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The main argument of the research paper will contend that women's empowerment
and involvement in decision-making has a direct, positive influence on environmental
protection efforts and reduced degradation in the resource-rich nations of Africa.
Evidence will include academic empirical research and NGO case studies where women
have been empowered to participate in environmental protection versus research and
examples where women have been excluded from participation.
Specifically, academic empirical research will include: 1) a cross-national study of
61 nations which shows a strong correlation between women's NGOs and lower rates of
deforestation (Shandra, Shandra & London, 2008); and 2) examples/case studies from
several sub-Saharan African countries which show the potential benefits of increasing
women's participation in communities as an effective strategy for environmental
protection (Coleman, 2008). Case studies from Women's Earth Alliance will compare
nations/regions where women are key agents of change in environmental issues with
nations/regions where women's exclusion has led to environmental degradation.
Further, an academic paper on women, oil and the environmental struggle in the
Niger Delta region (Agunwom & Agunwom, 2008) shows that despite marginalization,
women show incredible coping skills and resourcefulness. Examples of the work of
women's associations include microcredit programs, social welfare, contribution to
community development efforts, and loans for members in difficulty. Finally, Ikelegbe’s
article on civil society (2005) finds that community women’s organizations are the most
active and deeply committed in local oil economies through the construction of
traditional women’s protests as an instrument of engagement.
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There are a number of critical implications for these conclusions. First, active
measures should be taken to increase women's participation in environmental decisionmaking. This could include involving women in positions of political authority,
leveraging women's roles as teachers to disseminate environmental information, and
making women integral participants in environmental policy reform. Second, efforts
should be made to protect women's equal right to land ownership. As key caretakers of
the land on which they work, rural indigenous women have techniques and knowledge
that could help reverse environmental degradation in Africa.
Other implications for consideration might include: 1) broadly recognizing
women's potential role as environmental managers; 2) in patriarchal societies, reducing
the gap between men and women by including women in MNCs/government discussions
with the community on how to reduce damage to the environment; 3) targeting women as
critical mediators and participants in peace-building efforts in volatile regions that have
suffered from environmental violence and criminality (such as the Niger Delta); and 4)
treating women as strategic agents of sustainable development.
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