Ecofeminism
By: Mariana Diez Barroso
International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8th. Drawing upon this occasion we want to share about ECOFEMINISM and its importance today. The first connection between ecology and feminism emerged in feminist literature in the mid-1970s, primarily with the essay “Feminism or Death”, written by Francoise D’Eaubonne, a French-born writer and activist who pioneered the feminist movement. She approached the issue by searching for a word that would represent the way in which feminism and environmentalism have common political objectives.
What is Ecofeminism?
It is a current of thought, a social movement and a political practice which maintains that the western economic model has been established from the colonization of women, land and nature; this branch of feminism promotes a transformation of the economic model towards a new one which respects the foundations that sustain life. It encourages us to rethink entrenched gender roles and how we relate to nature.
There are two main scools of thought: Constructivist Ecofeminism, which is based on the fact that the relationship between women and nature is born from an imposed social construction, and Essentialist Ecofeminism, which believes that there is a natural and essential link between women and nature.
Vandana Shiva, a PhD in Physical Sciences, philosopher, writer and activist born in India, stands out among the most influential voices in Ecofeminism. Her works are influenced by Hindu religion and philosophy which describe the feminine principle as the source of life and the basis for sustainable development. Shiva has criticized the current economic model, as it perpetuates monoculture plantation techniques in both forests and agriculture; and he believes that the traditional Indian economic system preserves the mutual relationship with nature through polyculture. Go back to basics, work on a development that is more in communion with Nature.
Another important personality in Ecofeminism is Wangari Maathai, who was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, due to her contributions to sustainable development, democracy and peace. Maathai is a biologist, ecologist, activist who founded in 1977 a movement called “The Green Belt of Kenya”, whose objective was to guarantee the economic security of developing countries and to fight against deforestation and desertification. The result of this movement was 47 million trees planted being managed by 35,000 African women, in more than 13,000 nurseries.
It is important to know these examples and this type of thinking in order to understand that environmental protection and economic development can and should go hand in hand, but that we need to find the best way to make them coexist in a harmonious, transparent and continuous way.
Bustamante + Freyre has since our creation established a commitment with the protection of the environment, the creation of development opportunities and the elimination of gender gaps, for this reason we will continue working to implement all the necessary policies and procedures to make our office an international reference in the matter and to support our customers and partners to achieve the same.
“For an inclusive digital world: Innovation and technology for gender equality”.