Abstract

Environmental degradation negatively impacts both women and men. However, it is an indisputable fact that women experience its adverse effects more than men. This is based on women’s socially constructed roles which make them more dependent on natural resources like forests, lakes and land. This responsibility enables women to interact more closely with the environment than men, thus, giving them an opportunity to contribute to environmental conservation. Despite the relationship that women have with the environment and the contribution they make towards environmental protection and conservation, it remains largely unclear if their contribution is adequately recognised and implemented. This article examines the contribution of women in environmental conservation and the extent to which existing environmental conservation laws and policies at international, regional and national levels recognise this. It is concluded that some instruments at the international, regional and national levels scantily recognise the role of women in environmental conservation. However, these scanty provisions are met with discriminatory practices against women at the national level which makes it close to impossible for these instruments to advance the role of women in environmental conservation.