Women Role in Environmental Conservation and Development in Nigeria

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that one in four women worldwide or about 620 million women rate their lives positively enough to be considered ‘thriving’ and have shown that women in Nigeria play a crucial role due to their active involvement in conservation activities and management of the environment. However, they are viewed as insignificant partners and not accorded due attention and many women-related economic and social activities depends on environmental resources. Yet, women are denied access to effective and sustainable use of forest resources, and they have limited or no control over land, capital and labour. Women therefore suffer numerous limitations accordingly. As a result of widespread mistreatment and overt discrimination in all dimensions of women lives, women lack significant autonomy. The central preoccupation of this review is to explore key role of women in environmental conservation and discuss the current challenges and opportunities for the future. Equipped with the right tools, the massive and growing generation of women in Africa, particularly, Nigeria has the potential to drive development, achieve global goals and transform the continent’s future along with their own. It is therefore recommended that for sustainable development to take its roots, access and ownership of natural resources should be enhanced for all gender particularly women, people living with disabilities, marginalized and minority groups. Unless women efforts are recognised, we might likely be pushing towards planetary limits and without vibrant women movement, the Sustainable Development Goals are dead in the water thereby leading to the brink of a global disaster.