Must women be at the heart of restoring our planet? The evidence suggests that the answer is not only yes, but that achieving meaningful environmental restoration may be impossible without them.
As the world marks the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on June 17, attention turns once again to one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1994, the observance promotes global action against land degradation, desertification, and drought through the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
In 2026, Kenya hosts the global observance, becoming the first African nation in nearly a decade to do so. The theme, “Rangelands: Recognise. Respect. Restore.”, highlights the importance of grasslands, savannas, and drylands that cover more than half of the Earth’s land surface, support approximately 2 billion people, and provide nearly 70% of global livestock feed. Yet according to the UNCCD, up to half of the world’s rangelands are degraded or at risk of degradation.
While land degradation affects entire communities, its impact on women and girls is often deeper and more far-reaching.
Why Women Are Central to the Restoration Agenda
Women play a critical role in food production, water management, natural resource conservation, and community resilience. According to UN Women and the UNCCD, women make up approximately 43% of the agricultural workforce in developing countries. Despite this significant contribution, women own less than 15 to 20% of land globally.
This imbalance places women among the most vulnerable groups when droughts, desertification, and environmental degradation occur. Limited access to land ownership, financing, technology, and decision-making opportunities often reduces their ability to recover from environmental shocks.
Yet these same women possess the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to drive restoration efforts.
The Heavy Burden Women Carry
One of the clearest examples of environmental inequality is access to water.
According to UNICEF data cited by the UNCCD, women and girls collectively spend about 200 million hours every day collecting water worldwide. As droughts become more frequent and severe, this burden increases significantly. Longer journeys for water leave less time for education, income generation, leadership, and personal development.
Food insecurity also affects women disproportionately. In many communities, women are responsible for feeding their families while often eating last themselves. As land degradation reduces agricultural productivity, women face greater risks of malnutrition, poor health outcomes, and economic hardship.
The financial implications are equally concerning. The UNCCD estimates that land degradation costs the global economy nearly US$900 billion annually, while droughts contribute at least US$300 billion in additional losses. Women farmers, who often have fewer resources and less access to credit, face greater challenges in rebuilding livelihoods after climate-related disasters.
Furthermore, environmental crises frequently increase the risks of displacement, gender-based violence, and child marriage. Climate change is projected to push up to 158 million additional women and girls into extreme poverty by 2050, making environmental restoration a matter of both sustainability and social justice.
Women Are Driving Solutions around the World
The answer to the question posed by this article becomes increasingly clear when examining restoration efforts across the globe.
Women are not merely victims of environmental degradation. They are among the most effective agents of change.
For generations, women have preserved indigenous knowledge related to soil conservation, seed preservation, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity protection, and water management. These skills are proving invaluable in the fight against land degradation.
One of the strongest examples can be found in Africa’s Great Green Wall Initiative. Designed to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land, sequester 250 million tonnes of carbon, and create 10 million green jobs by 2030, the initiative has benefited significantly from women’s leadership.
Across the Sahel, women are leading tree planting programmes, managing community nurseries, promoting agroforestry practices, and participating in local governance structures. Their contributions have helped restore landscapes while strengthening food security and economic opportunities for families.
Similar success stories can be found across Asia, Latin America, and other regions where women are leading community water management programmes, climate-resilient agriculture projects, and ecosystem restoration initiatives.
Research consistently shows that when women have secure land rights and equal access to resources, restoration outcomes improve, food security increases, and communities become more resilient.
The evidence is overwhelming. Women are not simply participants in environmental restoration. They are indispensable leaders within it.
Amazons Watch Magazine’s Call to Action
At Amazons Watch Magazine, we believe that restoring degraded landscapes and empowering women must go hand in hand.
We call on governments to strengthen women’s land rights and ensure equal access to agricultural resources, financing, education, and technology. We urge development partners, financial institutions, and private sector actors to invest in women-led restoration projects that deliver both environmental and social impact.
We also encourage media organisations, educational institutions, and civil society groups to amplify the stories of women who are transforming communities through sustainable environmental practices.
Most importantly, we call on women everywhere to continue raising their voices, sharing their knowledge, and taking leadership roles in shaping a more sustainable future.
Conclusion
So, must women be at the heart of restoring our planet?
The answer is unequivocally yes.
Women are among those most affected by drought, desertification, and land degradation. Yet they are also among the most capable of driving solutions. Their knowledge, resilience, innovation, and leadership are essential to restoring ecosystems, strengthening communities, and building climate resilience.
As the world commemorates the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2026, let us recognise that environmental restoration is not solely about repairing damaged land. It is about empowering the people who have the greatest potential to protect and sustain it.
By investing in women, supporting their leadership, and ensuring their full participation in environmental decision-making, we invest in a healthier planet for all.
The future of restoration is inseparable from the future of women. If we are serious about restoring our planet, women must not merely have a seat at the table. They must help lead the way.
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