Published on 8 March 2025
In Borneo and around the world, women are a driving force for conservation in their communities. Today, on International Women’s Day, we celebrate the vital contributions of women in rural Borneo, whose wellbeing is thoroughly intertwined with that of the island’s ancient rainforests.
Climate change, natural disasters, biodiversity loss—these things impact all of us around the world. However, it has long been acknowledged that environmental issues affect men and women differently due to the different roles they perform in society and across cultures. Although women’s rights have come a long way since International Women’s Day was first celebrated in the early 1900s, women are still less likely to be in positions of power or decision-making roles.
Women and girls represent a greater share of the world’s poor, making them more vulnerable to the effects of environmental disasters, which are becoming increasingly frequent and severe. Within their families, women typically take on the bulk of childcare and housekeeping, whereas men are more likely to be the ‘breadwinners’, leaving many women financially dependent on their male relatives and partners.
At BNF, we work closely with several indigenous Dayak communities to develop sustainable livelihoods and seek formal protections for their ancestral forests. Many of those who have adopted BNF’s alternative livelihood schemes are women, as this grants them a greater degree of financial independence and flexibility with childcare.
“We see more women in our community development projects than men because there is a cultural division of gender roles. Since the men go off to earn money, most of the participants are women,” explained Yuliana Nona, the Rungan Community Development Manager at BNF.
One of the main tasks assigned to women is gathering food from the forest, harvesting traditional ingredients as their ancestors have done for generations. However, as land conversion, logging and illegal mining take their toll on the landscape so, too, do the livelihoods of rural communities come under threat. Currently, most women in the Rungan landscape walk an average of 2 km each day to find food. Unless comprehensive landscape-level protections are put in place, they will eventually have to travel much longer distances to access those same resources, which are being rapidly depleted by habitat loss.
“If their food sources are healthy, then women in the village and their families will also be healthy. Women play a key role in the health of these communities, especially for children,” Yuliana added.
Through our Community Development programme, we aim to improve food sovereignty within rural communities by supporting independent permaculture initiatives, such as vegetable gardens, fishponds and honeybee cultivation. Many of these projects are led by women, providing both food and financial security for them and their families.
To support our work and improve the conditions experienced by rural women in Borneo, please consider donating this International Women’s Day.
Together, we can create a healthier, more equitable future for people and the planet.
