WHY WOMEN?
We are either going to have a future where women lead the way to make peace with the Earth or we are not going to have a human future at all.
- Vandana Shiva.
​To restore the Earth, we must confront the systems that have caused harm. Our current systems of power have fuelled both the oppression of women and the destruction of Nature. These are not separate issues. Healing one requires addressing the other.
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Women’s leadership is not a hopeful add-on. It is essential. For too long, women - especially Indigenous women and women of colour - have been silenced, sidelined or excluded from decision-making. Yet they are often the ones closest to the land, holding the knowledge, care and courage that communities need to protect and regenerate.
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We need to build a world beyond extraction, rooted in reciprocity, collaboration and connection. This is not idealism or empty words. It is survival. Infinite growth on a finite planet is a myth and the systems that created these issues cannot take us where we need to go.
Centring women does not mean excluding others. Quite the opposite. This movement needs everyone. But we centre women because a just, sustainable world will only be possible when women rise, lead and thrive.
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Now is the time to rise together, as sisters for the Earth.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOT GENDER-NEUTRAL
Across the world, women are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This is not accidental. It’s the result of long-standing inequalities in access to resources, land, education, and decision-making power.
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This is not just about statistics. It’s about who gets to eat when food is scarce, who risks violence when water is far away, and who is heard when communities rebuild after disaster.
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If we want climate solutions that work for everyone, women must be part of the conversation. Their leadership, knowledge, and lived experience are not optional. They are essential.
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THE POWER OF WOMEN IN FOREST CARE
Women have always been stewards of the natural world. They are among the first to notice ecosystem decline, the first to adapt, and often the last to be heard.
Yet where women are involved in forest and land restoration, outcomes are better. Forests regenerate, biodiversity returns, and communities thrive.
This is not anecdotal. Studies consistently show that when women are part of environmental decision-making, they act for the many, not the few. They prioritise community wellbeing and long-term sustainability. Excluding them weakens us all.
WHY WE CENTRE WOMEN
Centring women in climate and restoration work is not about exclusion. It is about rebalancing a system that has silenced too many voices for too long.
We cannot restore the Earth without restoring justice. A just future is one where women have equal power, where care is recognised as leadership, and where regeneration is possible because everyone has a voice.
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When we lift up women, we lift up entire communities. We create a world where Nature is protected, and where all life can flourish.
“This is new. Before, we were just workers. Now we’re decision-makers.”
- Roselyne Wanjiru, project participant, Kenya
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In addition to uplifting voices and advocating for equity, our projects create real, lasting change for women and their communities by:
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Creating sustainable income opportunities through agroforestry, seed saving, and regenerative farming
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Training women in leadership, governance, and community organising
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Defending Indigenous women’s land rights and cultural heritage
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Providing spaces and resources to combat gender-based violence
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Supporting kitchen gardens that improve food security and nutrition
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Distributing eco-friendly cookstoves that reduce health risks and protect forests
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Delivering menstrual health education and supplies to keep girls in school
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Mobilising gender champions to raise awareness and promote women’s safety
WHAT IS TREESISTERS DOING?
IN ACTION.
Kasese, Uganda
In communities historically divided by gender in restoration efforts, focusing on gender equity and women’s participation is changing lives.
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Kamalha Annet, from Alpha Women Empowerment Initiative (AWEI), shares: “Women will be able to gain more skills. For example, when we’re in the field with some of the farmers, men are supposed to be the ones to plant trees. But nowadays, we are training the women to know how to plant them.”
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Through projects like these, gender equity is integrated into leadership training, budgeting, and menstrual hygiene education, which has led to less absenteeism in schools and significant progress in community-based restoration efforts. This is real-world change, improving the lives of women, girls, and their communities.
WE CHAMPION GENDER EQUITY.
Gender equity and women’s empowerment are at the core of everything we do. In all our projects, we challenge dominant power structures and ensure the voices of women are heard, valued, and celebrated. By integrating gender equity into every facet of our work, we’re fostering a world where balance is restored, not just between people, but between people and Nature.
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Supporting women isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s essential for a sustainable future. From protecting sacred lands to leading reforestation efforts, women are at the forefront of change. When we empower women, we enable whole communities to thrive.​
EXPLAINED:
GENDER EQUITY OR GENDER EQUALITY?
What is the difference between gender equity and gender equality? Often used interchangeably, these terms have very different meanings and, therefore, different implications for the best approach to reaching gender balance.
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While gender equality refers to the equal treatment of genders in all areas, gender equity goes a step further by acknowledging the fact that women (and all who do not identify as cis-male) have historically been disadvantaged and, therefore, require different treatment and accommodations to level the playing field. In other words, gender equity recognises that equality cannot be achieved by treating everyone equally but by providing different levels of support and resources as needed to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.
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"Gender equity includes the spectrum of genders recognised by bioregional communities. All genders need equality in access to trees and forests for their mental and physical health."
- Rooted in Ethics, TreeSisters.
"There's a solid base of evidence showing that women are disproportionately vulnerable to climate change, not because there is something inherently vulnerable about women, but because of socio-cultural structures that deprive women of access to resources, decision-making, information, agency, etc."
- Marina Andrijevic, research analyst, Climate Analytics.
