Women as Biodiversity and Climate-Resilience Guardians

This project aims to empower women including women of Indigenous heritage to conserve highland wetland and peatland ecosystems for increased climate resilience in Peru Bolivia and Ecuador. As a regional project it aims to contribute to increased conservation of buffer zones around 3 established protected areas (RAMSAR sites) spanning 80 000+ hectares. The project seeks to increase the adoption of Nature-based Climate Solutions (NbCS) for climate change adaptation by women to conserve highland wetland and peatland ecosystems. This is inspired by Canada’s Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) and Indigenous Guardians framework. It also aims to enhance the agency of women to advocate for women-led conflict sensitive NbCS in national and regional governance structures. Project activity includes: providing training technical support and awareness raising to enhance women’s capacity to lead conservation efforts and actively participate in land and water resource management. This should also help to create the conditions for women to participate in community and regional decision-making related to the conservation of these ecosystems.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased adoption of Nature-based Climate Solutions (NbCS) for climate change adaptation by women including women of Indigenous heritage. These solutions aim to conserve highland wetland and peatland ecosystems inspired by Canada’s IPCAs and Indigenous Guardians Framework; and (2) enhanced agency of women including women of Indigenous heritage to advocate for women-led conflict sensitive NbCS for climate change adaptation. This is done through Traditional Local and Indigenous Knowledge (TLIK)-informed land stewardship and the Locally Protected and Conserved Area (LPCA) approach in national and regional governance structures.