Women urged to play a critical role in protecting the environment

Women in Zimbabwe have been urged to continuously play a critical role in sustaining a protected environment and promoting natural resource governance.

This came out during the commemorations of the World Environment Day held in Mutare on Monday, organized by the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ) and its partners, where various women from different clusters in Mutare and Penhalonga were urged to lead in the development of sustainable environment rights, climate justice, and accountable natural resource governance.

The commemorations this year were held under the theme: “Solutions to plastic pollution.”

Addressing the gathering, the coordinator for Zivai Community Empowerment Trust (ZICET), Mildred Muzanechita, said:  “As we are gathered here today, let us encourage each other as women and remember to play a critical role towards sustainable protected environments.”

Muzanechita added: “As women, there is a great need to lead in the development of sustainable environmental rights, climate justice, and accountable natural resource governance. Let us all mobilize voices on women’s vulnerability in relation to environmental rights, climate change, climate change mitigation, disaster reduction, and adaptation strategies.”

She called for the amplification of women’s voices in advocating for gender integration and women’s rights perspectives in climate justice and governance.

“Let us all amplify the visibility and voice of grassroots women to gendered climate justice and governance through creating and supporting platforms for national, regional, and global advocacy,” she said.

Manicaland Youth Assembly (MAYA) team leader, Jusa Kudherezera, said this year’s theme is a global call to eliminate plastic pollution.

“This is a call that highlights the need for people to take decisive actions to combat one of the most crucial environmental concerns of our time. Raise awareness about the dangers that plastic pollution poses to human health and all forms of life on Earth,” said Kudherezera.

“A clean environment is essential for healthy living. The more we do not care about our environment, the more it will become polluted with contaminants and toxins that have a harmful impact on our health.  We continue to raise awareness and inspire young people to take care of the environment that is our heritage,” Kudhererzera said.

WCOZ said the commemorations came at a time when it is bolstering mass mobilization and organization for the feminist movement and capacity-building initiatives for galvanizing collective advocacy to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals (2016), in particular SDG 5, 10, 12, and 13, which seek to promote women’s rights, gender equality, sustainable communities and action against climate change.