'New role models' for sustainability? Women

Over and over again, research shows that women could contribute hugely toward building a more sustainable society … if only they are given the opportunity.

For too many, though, it’s an opportunity that remains lacking, especially in the world’s rural areas.

Speaking on the eve of International Women’s Day — observed every year on March 8 — United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that rural women and girls account for one-fourth of the world’s population but fall disproportionately at the bottom of every economic, social and political indicator.

Improving circumstances for rural women and girls would not only reduce hunger worldwide, but would benefit the economy in general, added Michelle Bachelet, executive director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

“Studies show that higher levels of gender equality correlate positively with higher levels of per capita gross national product,” Bachelet said. “Opening economic opportunities to women would significantly raise economic growth and reduce poverty.”

It would also greatly help improve overall sustainability, others have pointed out.

“A serious shift towards sustainable development requires gender equality and an end to persistent discrimination against women,” states a report compiling research by 20 past winners of the Blue Planet Prize, considered to be the Nobel Prize of the environment. “The next major increment of global well-being could well come from the full empowerment of women.”

The report continued, “The empowerment of women is the ultimate sustainable rural solution. By improving their capacity and competence to provide basic services in the rural areas … they could be the new role models that the world is looking for.”

The Blue Planet Prize winners point to the success of a solar-energy training program focused on women in India:

“Without using the written or spoken word and only through sign language 300 illiterate rural grandmothers between ages 35 to 50 have been trained as solar engineers. In 6 months they have solar electrified over 15,000 houses reaching more than 100 villages covering the whole continent of Africa (28 countries in 5 years) at a total cost of $ 2.5 million. This is what is spent on 1 Millennium Village in Africa.”

Numerous statistics, such as these from the UN’s 2011 Human Development Report, illustrate the connection between sustainability and the empowerment of women:

• Countries with higher female parliamentary representation are more likely to set aside protected land areas, as a study of 25 developed and 65 developing countries reveals.
• Countries with higher female parliamentary representation are more likely to ratify international environmental treaties, according to a study of 130 countries with about 92 percent of the world’s people.
• Of the 49 countries that reduced carbon dioxide emissions between 1990 and 2007, 14 were very high HDI (Human Development Index) countries, 10 of which had higher than average female parliamentary representation.