Women’s role in sustainability, locally and internationally
March 11, 2026 4:04 PM
Around the world, women are playing an important role in sustainable development. At the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the involvement of women was considered necessary for sustainable development and in Beijing at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, delegates unanimously supported a plan that acknowledged and stressed that empowerment, participation and equality of women are fundamental for sustainable development.
Oxfam, a group active on the StFX campus, partners with several organizations working to empower women as a way to address sustainability issues in developing countries. Among these organizations are HUNDEE-Oromo Grassroots Development Initiative, SEDA (Selam Environmental Development Association) and FARM (Food and Agricultural Research Management) Africa who all run small livestock programs aimed at improving the self-sufficiency of women.
HUNDEE works in Ethiopia to help poor women improve their economic conditions by providing them with hoofed animals, such as sheep or goats. Households share the benefits of this small asset and offspring from female animals are shared with other members of the community, which has led to an increase in social and economic sustainability within these communities.
SEDA distributes goats through a Women Asset Building Project, which enhances household food security and generates income for women in Ethiopia. The project focuses on training women to care for, develop and manage goats in order to increase socioeconomic sustainability for communities. The last organization, FARM, also has a focus on training and education to allow women to breed goats and ensure sustainability of communities.
All of these organizations work with an understanding that providing opportunities for women to develop knowledge and skills will improve the quality of life for all in a community.
What about in Canada and in Antigonish? Take a look around and see who is involved in sustainable development work. Poverty and economic sustainability are significant issues for women in Canada.
In Antigonish, groups such as the Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre (AWRC) work to advocate for and empower women by encouraging them to get involved, and by providing opportunties for skill development. The AWRC is also a member of the Antigonish Poverty Reduction Coalition, which is made up of representatives from groups and organizations that all address poverty in Antigonish in one way or another.
Just as we support organizations working with women in Ethiopia, it is equally important to see how participation, empowerment and equality of women is necessary for economic and social sustainability in our own communities.
