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5 Badass Women Protecting the Planet this International Women’s Day

Posted by India Thorogood - 8th March 2017


With the media and many organisations often dominated by old white men, some of the world’s most powerful women activists can be forgotten. That’s why on International Women’s Day and on as many days as possible, we need to highlight the massive contribution of women to the environmental movement.

So here’s 5 inspiring, brave and badass women who are changing — and saving — the face of our planet.

 

1. LaDonna Bravebull Allard & the women who built the Standing Rock camp

It’s no secret that the resistance to the Dakota Access oil pipeline has been built largely by Indigenous women. LaDonna Bravebull Allard started the first resistance camp on her land. Since then 10,000 Indigenous people and 300 tribal nations have been represented in the protests. Women have occupied the land, run kitchens, started schools and organised supplies. As they peacefully protest on land that has been theirs for generations, they have been forced to resist violent police forces and security services. The strength these women have found, to resist on the same land their ancestors were killed and brutalised on, is dumbfounding. Their struggle continues despite Donald Trump’s passion for the project.

LaDonna says “I come from a long line of bigmouthed women,” she says. “My grandma, my mom — they always stood up.”

2. The Black Mambas, the world’s first all-female patrol unit

The Black Mambas patrol large swathes of land in South Africa, destroying poacher’s camps & traps. Since they began their work in 2013, snaring of animals has dropped by 86% and every single trainee has become a qualified kick-ass nature defender. The Black Mambas give talks at schools to teach children about protecting animals and the environment, teachings they said they never had.

One of the Black Mambas, Leitah Michabela says “Lots of people said, ‘how can you work in the bush when you are a lady?’ But I can do anything I want.” Damn right, Leitah.

3. Tina Rothery & the Lancashire’s Nanas

54 year old Tina Rothery and a whole host of other Nanas from Lancashire have been determined to kick fracking companies out of Lancashire ever since they reared their profit-driven heads. In 2015 they peacefully occupied a proposed fracking site for 3 weeks and Cuadrilla, the fracking company who owned the land, took Tina to court calling on her to pay £55,000. Tina refused to pay the fine out of principle and the case was eventually dropped, while over 100 supporters stood strong outside the court.

Tina remains defiant and said of the fine “I will not pay, even if I could, now or ever. This is my line in the sand.”

4. Habiba Sarobi

Sarobi fled Afghanistan under the Taliban to work as a teacher and women’s rights activists but eventually returned to take on the male-dominated world of Afghan politics.

In 2005 she became the Governor of Bamiyan, Afghanistan — where the famous Bamiyan Buddhas had been destroyed by the Taliban. Sarobi made it her mission to protect the local area in the way in which the Taliban hadn’t, including establishing Afghanistan’s first National Park.

She says “‘To be in Afghan politics as a woman is a risky task — but we have to take the risk”

5. Medha Patkar

Medha has spent her life working to create a better society, most famously organising marches and peaceful protests against a destructive dam in India. She also helped an alliance of hundreds of progressive people’s organisations in India, the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM).

She was arrested and beaten while protesting the building of damaging dams — yet continues to fight for community-run energy.

Although she has suffered through her campaigning, she never loses sight of who her work helps. Medha says her “inspiration comes from those who truly suffer the most”

Today Greenpeace want to thank these 5 women, and women just like them all across the globe, who while dealing with the struggles of sexism and racism, also struggle to protect the planet too.

Here’s to another year of taking on everyone from politicians to poachers and profit driven companies — and winning.

You truly prove, as Audre Lorde said that, “women are powerful and dangerous.”


Article Tagged as: Climate, Featured


About India Thorogood

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Digital Campaigner at Greenpeace UK