Maintenant pour le climat : la voix des femmes africaines face à l’urgence écologique (Par Khady CAMARA)
June 5th, World Environment Day, reminds us of a truth that has become impossible to ignore: the climate is changing faster than our political and economic responses. This year, the theme "Climate Now" resonates with particular force on the African continent, where the consequences of climate change are already visible in dried-up fields, repeated flooding, desertification, and food insecurity.
For us, African women, particularly Senegalese women, climate change is not a statistic. It is a daily reality. When rainfall becomes unpredictable, it is often women who travel longer distances to find water. When harvests decline, they are the ones who must feed their families with increasingly limited resources. When disasters strike, they are among the most vulnerable, but also among the first to organize community resilience.
Ecofeminism teaches us that the domination of nature and the oppression of women are rooted in the same systems of exploitation. For decades, development models have prioritized the intensive extraction of natural resources without regard for ecological balance or local knowledge. It must be acknowledged that the dominant patriarchal capitalist model is the primary cause of climate change. And yet, in many African communities, such as in Senegal, women have long been the guardians of seeds, forests, farmland, and environmental preservation traditions.
Today, nothing can be taken for granted. The rural world is caught between intense heat, land degradation, crop losses, epizootics, invasive species, soil erosion, and rural exodus. It is no longer enough to simply talk about climate adaptation. We must recognize the central role of women in building a sustainable future. Solutions exist, and we understand this. That is why, since 2017, the ecofeminist association Vacances Vertes has been promoting agroecology, community reforestation, sustainable water management, local renewable energy, the circular economy, and the protection of indigenous knowledge through the NAFORÊT project (Nature for Women's Empowerment through Community Forests or Green Entrepreneurship). These initiatives, often led by women, demonstrate that a different relationship with nature is possible.
The logic of the Vacances Vertes association is part of the resilient agricultural alternative with several objectives: to change our agricultural production methods, to give a voice to the female farmer, to return to rural life and to establish a sustainable economy.
“Now for the climate” also means now for justice. It is unjust that Africa, which contributes relatively little to global greenhouse gas emissions, bears the brunt of the consequences of climate change. And this is the whole point of the great, historic march of women for climate justice that I initiated in Senegal in 2021.
It is equally unjust that women, though essential to the protection of ecosystems, remain underrepresented in decision-making bodies, particularly in environmental matters. Proof of this lies in the fact that, while President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye and all of Senegal celebrate Abdoulaye Wade, this great advocate for women's rights through the parity law, only 4 women have been appointed ministers out of 30 positions. This reality contradicts both the spirit and the letter of the law. Parity is not a symbol; it is a requirement of democracy, a condition of social justice, and a lever for the performance of our institutions .
Returning to this World Environment Day, it must be an opportunity to transform our commitments into concrete actions. Governments must invest more in environmental education, support women's initiatives, and guarantee equitable access to climate finance. Businesses must adopt responsible practices. Citizens, for their part, can take action through their consumption habits, the protection of their local environment, and their support for community initiatives.
Senegal possesses an invaluable treasure: its biodiversity, its cultures, and its youth. If we want to pass this wealth on to future generations, we must act today. Not tomorrow! Not in ten years! Right now!
Because defending the climate means defending life. Defending women. Defending communities. Defending our shared future!
Khady Camara ecofeminist (Doctor Honoris Causa IARPA AND CVPT)
President of the Green Holidays Association
Initiator of the women's march for climate justice since 2021
Winner of the UN Women's and Girls' Climate Rights Innovation Award at the Generation Equality Forum 2021
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