Activism at the Intersection of Environmental Justice and Feminism: Breaking Down Barriers and Challenging Oppression

 

The connection between the oppression of women and the oppression of nature is a complex and multifaceted issue that has gained increasing attention in recent years. A common argument among feminists is that societal structures and justifications rely on categorical or dualistic hierarchies, which are used to perpetuate patriarchy (Hobgood-Oster, 2-3). These systems that have historically subjugated women have also contributed to the degradation and exploitation of the natural world. Feminists also argue that the same values that promote domination and control over women also promote exploitation and destruction of the environment. This is because both women and nature are seen as passive resources to be exploited for the benefit of men, without regard for their intrinsic value or autonomy.

The Chipko Movement in India during the 1970s demonstrated the connection between the oppression of women and the oppression of nature, as women came together to protect their environment and livelihoods against government and corporate attempts to destroy forests for profit. The movement began when women spontaneously embraced trees in response to the government’s decision to allot forest area to a sports goods company while denying locals the right to use wood for making agricultural tools.

By protecting forests, women demonstrated their commitment to preserving resources that were crucial for their families and communities, highlighting the need for women’s voices to be heard in decision-making processes related to the environment. The success of the movement in achieving a 15-year ban on green felling in the Himalayan forests of Uttar Pradesh is a testament to the power of grassroots organizing and community activism, which has inspired environmental activism in India and beyond, while generating pressure for a more sustainable and equitable approach to resource management.

However, at the root of this issue lies the deeper issue of disempowerment, which affects both marginalized women and the environment. Women and nature are both seen as subordinate to men and human society, and their needs and interests are often ignored or dismissed. This has led to a situation where women are disproportionately affected by poverty, violence, and environmental degradation, and where the natural world is being destroyed at an alarming rate.

The disturbing image of nine-year old Paulo Henrique, a Brazilian child who was photographed immersed in a canal filled with garbage serves as a striking example of the destructive consequences of environmental degradation on impoverished communities. The polluted canal and the environmental degradation in Recife is the result of industrialization and urbanization, which prioritize economic growth over environmental protection. The waste and pollution generated by these activities disproportionately affect the poor and marginalized communities who live in close proximity to these industries.

Paulo’s situation of having to collect recyclables in the contaminated water is a poignant reminder of how extreme poverty and economic inequality can lead to environmental collapse. Nonetheless, behind the material deprivations and cultural losses of the marginalized and the poor, lie the deeper issues of disempowerment and environmental degradation. The marginalized communities in Recife are often denied access to basic services like education, healthcare, and sanitation. This perpetuates a cycle of poverty that forces children like Paulo to scavenge for scraps in order to survive.

According to Vice Media Group, many of the 6,500 children who live in the slums in the Arruda and Campina Barreto neighborhoods on Recife’s north side, pick through trash to make a living, just like Paulo does; however, it was only after his image appeared in the press that the local government and international authorities took notice of their plight. In response to the photo and the accompanying article, the government promised to place Paulo, his mother, and her fiancé in a home where they could live (Corrêa, 2014).

Paulo Henrique’s heartbreaking story is not an isolated incident. Paulo’s tragic story is a sad and powerful reminder of the intersectionality of poverty, environmental degradation, and the exploitation of the marginalized. The widespread nature of such activities highlights a systemic problem caused by inadequate waste management policies, weak enforcement, and economic policies that neglect the most vulnerable members of society.

Thousands of children are trapped in similar conditions, living in the slums of Recife and other Brazilian states including Rio de Janeiro, the city of Carnival, Samba, and soccer. What makes their plight worse is that most slums have very narrow streets and are not accessible by larger vehicles, including ambulances and waste management trucks. Slum residents must rely on city workers who make long and often dangerous trips into the slums on bicycles to collect trash that sits on street corners for weeks at a time, waiting for collection. In some remote areas of the slums not even accessible by bicycles, city workers must rappel off embankments to clean out the trash.

Paulo’s story is a compelling example of how different types of oppression against women and marginalized communities intersect with environmental degradation, reinforced by patriarchal values that prescribe the subjugation of these groups to men and the natural environment’s subordination to human domination.

The global reality of impoverished families facing environmental degradation and exploitation serves as a harsh reminder of the urgent need to address the root causes of poverty. The intersectionality of various forms of oppression, including patriarchy and environmental degradation, has further excluded women from decision-making processes related to environmental issues and resulted in the perpetuation of exploitation and adverse effects to the health of both humans and the environment.

To combat this, it is important to acknowledge the interconnectedness of social and environmental issues and continue the shift towards feminism and the fight for women’s right to be included in decision-making processes.

The shift, although gradual, has been made possible by the efforts of women from all walks of life who have worked tirelessly to create a more equitable society. These women’s work on ecofeminism is especially relevant today, as we witness the devastating effects of climate change and environmental degradation on communities across the globe.

One such woman is Ivone Gebara, a Brazilian feminist theologian, philosopher, and writer.

Gebara’s work is primarily concerned with feminist theory and theology, examining the role of women in religion and how patriarchal structures shape their experiences. Her contributions to promoting ecofeminism, a term not found in Brazilian dictionaries (Gerbara 93), have been vital.

Moreover, she is a passionate advocate for social justice and human rights, speaking out against poverty, racism, and discrimination. Her work highlights the need to view these issues as interconnected and suggests that meaningful progress in the feminist movement requires addressing the systemic issues that lead to gender inequality and environmental destruction.

Gebara’s work has had a significant impact in Brazil, where she has played an important role in inspiring a new generation of feminist theologians and writers to fight for the rights of poor and marginalized women who suffer daily from the consequences of a patriarchal society, compounded by a global system that places a capitalist domination on nature and human relationships. This system enslaves and holds people hostage everywhere, especially women who are forced to live their lives as “jailed” prisoners with no means to choose alternatives for a better life (Gebara 96).

Wangari Maathai is another remarkable woman who dedicated a life to shifting the feminist needle toward environmental healing. Maathai achieved several notable firsts during her lifetime, including being the first African woman to receive the  Nobel Peace Prize and being the first female scholar from East and Central Africa to take a doctorate (in biology), and the first female professor ever in her home country of Kenya.

Maathai’s dedication to protecting the environment was fundamental to her activism, and she utilized her expertise and knowledge to establish the Green Belt Movement on Earth Day in 1977 in Kenya, with a program to encourage farmers (70% of whom were women) to establish “Green Belts” to prevent soil erosion, provide shade, and create a source of lumber and firewood. She distributed seedlings to rural women and implemented an incentive scheme based on the number of surviving seedlings. As a result of this initiative, over fifteen million trees have been planted, creating income for eighty thousand individuals in Kenya alone. The success of the movement has resulted in its growth to more than thirty African countries, the United States, and Haiti (The Green Belt Movement 2020).

Maathai’s work helped address environmental degradation while also promoting economic empowerment and gender equality. Her impact on the world was widely recognized, and she continues to inspire people around the globe, particularly women and girls who are striving to break down barriers and pursue their goals in male-dominated fields. Her work demonstrates the importance of education, environmental activism, and social justice, and her many firsts serve as a reminder of the potential for positive change that can be achieved by determined individuals.

Wangari Maathai passed away on October 7, 2011.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki presided over a state funeral in Nairobi, which marked another historic first moment as Maathai became the first woman and only the third Kenyan to receive this honor. True to her activism and love for the environment until the very end, this remarkable woman who repeatedly risked her life to protect the trees of Kenya and denounced President Daniel Arap Moi’s proposal to erect a sixty-two-story skyscraper in the middle of Nairobi’s largest park (The Green Belt Movement 2020), made it clear that no tree should be cut down to make her coffin. Instead, her body was to be placed in a casket made from natural materials such as hyacinth, papyrus, and bamboo and later cremated (Joselow 2011).

Maathai was a trailblazing environmentalist and fearless advocate for social justice and environmental protection, and her legacy serves as a reminder of the power of grassroots activism and the importance of protecting our planet for future generations.

Works Cited:

Corrêa, T. (2014, January 30). The Brazilian Slum Children Who Are Literally Swimming in Garbage. https://www.vice.com/en/article/kwpwja/the-brazilian-slum-children-who-are-literally-swimming-in-garbage-0000197-v21n1

Cstraight Media – http://www.cstraight.com. (n.d.). Speak Truth to Power | The Green Belt Movement. http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/wangari-maathai/key-speeches-and-articles/speak-truth-to-power

Gebara, I. (2003). “Ecofeminism: A Latin American Perspective.” Cross Currents. https://tinyurl.com/4jkwbjbd

Hobgood-Oster, Laura. “Ecofeminism: Historic and International Evolution.” Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature, edited by Bron Taylor, Continuum, London & New York , 2005, pp. 533–539, http://www.religionandnature.com/ern/sample/Hobgood-Oster–Ecofeminism.pdf.

Joselow, G. (2011, October 8). Kenya Says Final Goodbye to Wangari Maathai. VOA. https://www.voanews.com/a/hundreds-attend-state-funeral-of-african-nobel-peace-laureate-131381873/146347.html