Despite the burden of climate change on women and marginalized groups, they are often leaders for change. They organize their communities, raise awareness and progressively search for fair and just solutions.
For example, in Congo DRC Dorothee Lisenga, from CFLEDD, has organised dialogues on women’s inheritance rights between customary chiefs, local and indigenous women. Recommendations resulting from these dialogues have led to the adoption of 2 provincial edicts that guarantee land and forest rights for women. This transforms the country’s patriarchal framework, while strengthening the role and decision-making power of women in DRC’s forest management policies for climate action.
Her work has led to huge successes in women’s access to land and forest rights of women in the provinces of Ecuador and Maindombe of the DRC, and she and her organisation won the “Gender Just Climate Solutions” Awards at the climate conference in 2018. More information on the award is available here.