Climate change is the most urgent issue humanity faces. And though we face it together, we do not experience its effects equally. The adverse effects of climate change are inequitably distributed, and those who suffer most are often those who bear the least responsibility for the current climate crisis.
Among the most vulnerable are women and girls. Nearly half a billion women and girls survive on less than a $1.90 per day, and many—particularly those in the Global South—have livelihoods that are directly tied to the land. They are food producers, fuel collectors, and water suppliers—all of whom are dependent on the land and its natural resources for survival.
Yet, despite their close relationship with the land, women and girls are often denied equal access to the resources and decision-making power needed to adapt to and cope with environmental challenges. Women and girls can be critical change agents, but entrenched gender biases and power dynamics hamper their resources and agency.
The ICONIQ Impact Climate Equity Co-Lab is a collaborative effort, co-conceived with philanthropists in our network and sponsored by a trusted partner. The fund is composed of thirteen overlooked and underfunded organizations, each with the potential to create outsized, scalable impact. These organizations are empowering women across the globe, giving them the resources and agency needed to protect their land and lift themselves and their families out of poverty.
To showcase just three of the Co-Lab’s exceptional grantees:
- In India, where formal recycling systems are scarce, Chintan is helping protect, educate, and upskill female waste-pickers who earn their living selling discarded goods.
- In Alaska, Native Movement is empowering indigenous women to protect their land from extractive industries and environmental degradation.
- In Tanzania, Pastoral Women’s Council is giving Maasai women access to education, financial assistance, and environmental advocacy.
ICONIQ Impact believes that massive, global challenges like climate change, gender equity, and poverty are solvable. But sustainable, practical solutions require collaboration, innovation, and co-creation. We must empower those who most deeply understand the problems we urgently need to solve.
They have the solutions. We have the resources. Together, we can achieve extraordinary impact.
Published:
October 19, 2021
