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Women are key players in biodiversity conservation in mountainous regions

31 March 2025 | Story Andre Damons | Photo Andre Damons

Alia Datoo-Eliakeney Njau — Alia Datoo from the Mountain Women of the World Network, and Eliakeney Njau, founder and senior mountain guide of Kilimanjaro Wanderwomen Tours, at the Southern African Mountain Conference.

Mountain women play a pivotal role in environmental protection and socio-economic development in mountainous regions and are integral to the sustainability of fragile mountain ecosystems. However, research shows that these women face multiple and diverse challenges, including gender-based discrimination and restricted access to entrepreneurial and educational opportunities.

This research, which provides critical insights into the lives of mountain women, their challenges, and opportunities for empowerment, was presented by Alia Datoo, Founder of Women who Hike-Africa (Kenya) Ltd and part of the Mountain Women of the World Network, at the Second Southern African Mountain Conference (SAMC2025) taking place at the Champagne Sports Resort in the Drakensberg.

The SAMC events are conceptualised by the Afromontane Research Unit of the University of the Free State (UFS), the African Mountain Research Foundation, and Global Mountain Safeguard Research (GLOMOS) – a joint initiative between Eurac Research and the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security. SAMC2025 is held under the patronage of UNESCO.

Mountain Women of the World is a collaborative network founded in 2020 by non-profit organisation Empowering Women of Nepal, non-profit organisation Feminist Hiking Collective, groups Kilimanjaro Women and las Cholitas Escaladoras de Bolivia, and the enterprises Mujeres a la Cumbre, Women Who Hike-Africa and Topchu Art Group from Kyrgyzstan.

This initiative aims to promote a transnational network of mountain women, to build mountain women's collective feminist leadership, strengthen economic justice, narrate a collective mountaineering story and foreground the collective knowledge and experience of mountain women in protecting mountains.

Datoo said their research underscores the stories and voices of mountain women, highlighting the multiple and diverse challenges they face, particularly in rural areas and within the mountain tourism sector. Despite the differences in geography and culture, many of the challenges mountain women face are strikingly similar, she said.

Greater recognition, resources, and representation for mountain women

“We did extensive in-person interviews with 313 women across eight mountain nations, including Argentina, Chile, Italy, Kenia, Kyrgyzstan, Bolivia, Nepal, and Tanzania. This research is crucial because it sheds light on the often-overlooked role of mountain women –not just as custodians of their communities but as key contributors to biodiversity, conservation, local economies, and cultural heritage.

“Yet their voices are rarely included in policy-making and development initiatives. By highlighting their stories, struggles, and contributions, this research advocates for greater recognition, resources, and representation for mountain women globally,” said Datoo.

Through this research, they presented a road map for the empowerment of mountain women, emphasising the need for inclusive policies, enhanced training and educational opportunities, and support for entrepreneurial ventures. By dismantling barriers to equality and amplifying the voices of these women, a more sustainable and inclusive future for mountainous regions can be fostered.

Though there is not a single definitive number of how many women live and work in mountainous areas, as these populations are spread across different continents, each with unique demographics, global estimates suggest that nearly 1 billion people live in mountain regions, with women comprising a significant percentage of this population. Many of these women engage in agriculture, conservation, tourism, and trade, often in conditions of economic hardship, climate vulnerability, and limited access to resources.

What the research found

“Our research revealed that mountain women are not just survivors of hardship – they are architects of resilience, community leaders, and powerful changemakers. Yet, they continue to face systemic barriers that limit their full potential.”

These women, Datoo continued, shoulder immense responsibilities – as caregivers, food providers, economic contributors, and protectors of cultural heritage – but often without recognition, resources, or decision-making power. Economic exclusion is a significant challenge as many mountain women engage in small-scale farming, trade, and artisanal crafts, yet they lack access to fair markets, financial support, or training opportunities to scale their work.

“Despite limited access to formal education or leadership roles, mountain women have built strong, self-sustaining networks – through women’s groups, cooperative savings, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing. Traditional gender roles and societal norms remain deeply entrenched. These women are not waiting for permission. Whether through grassroots organising, entrepreneurship, or informal leadership, mountain women are already driving change within their communities – often with little external support,” said Datoo.

“ We must take action to ensure that women in mountain communities have the resources, opportunities, and recognition they deserve for building a more inclusive and resilient future.

A world without mountain women

According to Datoo, the disappearance or displacement of mountain women would be nothing short of catastrophic – not just for their communities, but for the world. It would mean the loss of an entire ecosystem of knowledge, labour, culture, and resilience that sustains both people and nature.

Mountain women are the keepers of ancestral wisdom in sustainable farming, herbal medicine, textile-making, and survival skills. Without them, irreplaceable traditional knowledge would vanish. Without these women, entire communities would face financial ruin as they economic drivers – from handicrafts and farming to ecotourism and trade.

Simply put – mountain women are not just participants in their communities; they are the backbone. Their presence is not just beneficial – it is essential to the survival, sustainability, and future of mountain societies.

Challenges

According to Datoo, one key challenge was that many women, particularly from indigenous and rural communities, were accustomed to receiving immediate benefits in exchange for participation. Conducting these interviews required patience, cultural awareness, and a deep sense of respect.

Some of the key challenges included:

• Language Barriers – Many women spoke indigenous dialects, requiring trusted local interpreters to ensure clarity and accuracy.

• Geographical Access – Some communities were in remote, high-altitude areas, making travel and logistics physically demanding.

• Cultural Sensitivities – In certain societies, women are not traditionally encouraged to share their perspectives openly, so we had to create safe, trust-based environments for dialogue.

• Emotional Depth – Listening to their struggles – whether related to climate hardships, gender inequality, or economic marginalisation – was deeply moving and, at times, heartbreaking.

Action needed

These studies have provided critical insights into the lives of mountain women; however, research alone is not enough. With this research, we hope to ensure that mountain women are not overlooked but actively included in economic, environmental, and leadership policies at local, national, and global levels.

“We must take action to ensure that women in mountain communities have the resources, opportunities, and recognition they deserve for building a more inclusive and resilient future. Policies need to be strengthened, and women’s contributions recognised through land rights, financial inclusion, and gender-sensitive programmes.

“Women often serve as primary managers of resources, guardians of biodiversity, and custodians of traditional knowledge. However, entrenched discriminatory social norms continue to restrict their access to strategic resources, leadership roles, and equal opportunities, limiting their potential to act as economic agents and builders of resilience,” said Datoo.

Global challenges such as economic downturns, climate change, and the lingering effects of COVID-19 have further deepened their vulnerability. Without action, more women will be pushed out of mountain economies, further marginalising their essential contributions.

News Archive

Situation on the Bloemfontein Campus, and letter to parents

2016-02-28

Letter to parents from Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS

Statement by Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS) about the situation on the Bloemfontein Campus

1.   As all of you know, last night we witnessed a really tragic event at Xerox Shimla Park on the Bloemfontein Campus on the occasion of the Varsity Cup rugby match between NMMU (FNB Madibaz) and UFS (FNB Shimlas).
2.   The game started at 18:30 and about 17 minutes into the match, a group of protestors sitting on the north-eastern side of the stadium decided to invade the pitch and disrupt the game in progress.
3.   After a short while, some of the spectators also invaded the field, chasing and brutally beating those protestors whom they caught.
4.   As a university leadership we condemn in the strongest terms possible the vicious attack on the protestors. Nobody, repeat nobody, has the right to take the law into their own hands. While the protests were illegal and disruptive, it did not harm to the physical well-being of the spectators.
5.   The reaction from the group of spectators, however, not only opened old wounds, it trampled, literally and figuratively, on the dignity and humanity of other human beings. This we condemn in no uncertain terms, and no stone will be left unturned to find those who acted so violently on what should have been a beautiful occasion that also brought families and young children together to enjoy an evening of sport.
6.   I cannot over-emphasise our level of disgust and dismay at the behaviour of the spectators. It is NOT what the University of the Free State (UFS) is about and we are working around the clock to gather evidence on the basis of which we will pursue both charges and, in the case of students, also disciplinary action on campus.
7.   At the same time, the invasion of the pitch is also completely unacceptable and we will seek evidence on the basis of which we will act against those who decided to disrupt an official university event.
8.   Clashes between students occurred afterwards on campus and members of the Public Order Policing had to disperse some of them. The situation was stabilised in the early hours of the morning.
9.   Disruption continued this morning (23 February 2016) when students damaged some university buildings, a statue, and broke windows. Additional reinforcements from the South African Police Service were brought in to stabilise the campus. Additional security has also been deployed.

Broader picture
10.   We are very aware of the national crisis on university campuses and the instability currently underway. While the UFS has been largely peaceful, we have not been spared this turmoil, as last night’s events showed.
11.   We are also conscious of the fact that even as we speak, various political formations are vying for position inside the turmoil in this important election year. In fact, part of the difficulty of resolving competing demands is that they come from different political quarters, and change all the time.
12.   We are therefore learning from reliable sources that the Varsity Cup competition is, in fact, a target of national protests in front of a television audience.
13.   And we are aware of the fact that these protests are not only led by students but also by people from outside who have no association with the university. Just as the violent spectators involved on Monday night also included people from outside the university.

The demands
14.   My team has worked around the clock to try to meet the demands of contract workers demanding to be in-sourced. In fact, this weekend past, senior colleagues sat with worker leaders in the township to try to find ways of meeting their demands. We were hoping that such an agreement would be finalised by Monday afternoon (22 February 2016), but on the same Monday morning workers and students were arrested after moving onto Nelson Mandela Avenue, after which the South African Police Service (SAPS) took over as the matter became a public safety concern outside the hands of the university. Since then, it was difficult to return the workers to settle on a possible agreement.
15.   The fact is that the UFS has been in constant negotiation with contract workers to provide our colleagues with a decent wage and certain benefits. In fact, towards the end of last year we raised the minimum wage from R2 500 to R5 000. We were in fact hoping that the continued negotiations would improve that level of compensation even as we looked at a possible plan for insourcing in the future. We made it clear that if we could insource immediately, we would, but that the financial risk to the university was so great that it threatened the jobs of all our staff. Those negotiations were going well, until recently, when without notice the workers broke away and decided to protest on and around campus.
16.   While these negotiations were going on, the Student Representative Council (SRC) on Monday 22 February 2016 also decided to protest. While the vast majority of our 32 000 students were in classes and determined to get an education, a very small group led by the SRC President decided to protest; some invaded the UFS Sasol Library and the computer centre, and with the President eventually made their way to Xerox Shimla Park on which route they confronted the police, interrupted traffic and in fact injured some of our security staff as well as police officials.
17.   The university is definitely proceeding to collect evidence on these illegal and violent acts and will also act firmly against students involved in these protests.

Summary
18.   The events of Monday night represent a major setback for the transformation process at the UFS. While we have made major progress in recent years—from residence integration to a more inclusive language policy to a core curriculum to very successful ‘leadership for change’ interventions for student leaders—we still have a long way to go.
19.   One violent incident on a rugby field and we again see the long road ahead yet to be travelled. As I have often said before, you cannot deeply transform a century-old university and its community overnight. We acknowledge the progress but also the still long and difficult path ahead. We will not give up.
20.   We have 32 000 students on our campuses; the overwhelming majority of them are decent and committed to building bridges over old divides as we have seen over and over again. So many of our students, black and white, have become close and even intimate friends working hard to make this a better campus and ours a better community and country. Like all of us, they are gutted by what they saw on Monday, but the hundreds of messages I received from parents, students, and alumni this past 20 hours or so said one thing—keep on keeping on. And we will.

The Big Read: An assault on transformation (Times Live kolom deur Prof Jonathan Jansen: 25 Februarie 2016)

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