Grassroots women must be at the centre of decisions on land and climate finance

At the close of a three-day Ecofeminist Convening in Zimbabwe that brought together grassroots women leaders, indigenous women, environmental defenders, legal experts, researchers, and civil society organisations from across Africa and beyond, participants issued a united call.

The call to governments, development partners, investors, and mining companies is for them to fundamentally rethink how decisions on land and critical mineral investments are made.

As the global transition to clean energy accelerates demand for critical minerals, communities—particularly women—continue to shoulder the greatest social, environmental, and economic costs while remaining largely excluded from decisions that directly affect their lives, livelihoods, and futures.

According to the communique from the convening, the participants affirmed that there can be no just energy transition without land justice, gender justice, and climate justice.

“Women are the custodians of land, water, forests, biodiversity, and traditional ecological knowledge. Yet their voices remain absent from negotiation tables where mining concessions are approved, compensation packages are designed, and relocation plans are developed,” said Dr Melania Chiponda, a climate justice activist who also leads the Shine Collab.

She added: “This exclusion perpetuates inequality, undermines community resilience, and weakens sustainable development outcomes.”

The ecofeminists called upon governments to guarantee the meaningful, effective, and continuous participation of grassroots women in every stage of land governance and decision-making relating to critical mineral exploration, extraction, and post-mining restoration.

“Consultation must go beyond symbolic representation and ensure that women’s knowledge, priorities, and lived experiences shape policy and practice,” noted Tatenda Wachenuka, the executive director, Young Women Pink Foundation.

The Foundation is a non-profit organisation focused on youth empowerment, gender equality, and sexual and reproductive health and rights.