19/03/2024
Read this article by our Co-Founder Sefelepelo Sebata on Mother Nature's Wrath and the Plight of Women as we acknowledge and celebrate women's month.
The Deluge After the Deluge: A Deeper Look at Mother Nature's Wrath and the Plight of Women
This International Women's Day, 2024, we stand amidst the ruins of our own making. The "proverbial chickens" are not merely coming home to roost – they've arrived to find a barren wasteland. Southern Africa grapples with a catastrophic drought, a stark reminder of humanity's disregard for Mother Nature and the women who are disproportionately impacted.
The Arrogance of Man and the Neglect of the Feminine
For too long, we've painted a rosy picture of climate action. We've indulged in a plethora of conferences, declarations, and summits – all empty gestures while the Earth simmers with discontent. These conferences, dominated by men in fancy suits, have become a mockery of true environmental concern. They've failed to translate into concrete policies or a genuine willingness to curb our destructive emissions.
Exploiting Nature, Marginalizing Women: A Vicious Cycle
The same greed that pillages the environment exploits women. Greedy farmers, symbolic of a larger exploitative system, have plundered resources, leaving women – the backbone of agriculture in many regions – with nothing. Development efforts have focused on creating a semblance of progress for women, while the harsh realities of poor wages, unfair working conditions, and lack of control over resources persist.
Mother Nature's Fury: A Force We Cannot Outrun
Mother Nature, the embodiment of the feminine in many cultures, has reached a tipping point. Her response – scorching heatwaves, relentless drought – is a wake-up call we can no longer ignore. The conferences and empty declarations lie in tatters, exposed by the brutal reality of a climate in chaos. Our strategic grain reserves, touted as a safety net, turn out to be a mirage. We are exposed, dependent on the "kindness" of unreliable allies who are now preoccupied with their own conflicts.
The Parallel between Ecological and Gender Injustice
The plight of women and girls mirrors that of the environment. Politicians, philanthropists, and activists have used women's issues to bolster their careers, only to abandon them later. Just as Mother Nature has endured countless conferences in her name without real action, women's rights have been championed on countless platforms with minimal progress.
The Coming Storm: When Women Rise Up
But like Mother Nature, women will not suffer in silence eternally. The "me too" movement was a mere tremor before the earthquake. Women are awakening to the fact that they've been played. The day of reckoning is upon us. Soothing platitudes and empty promises will no longer suffice. Women will demand a seat at the decision-making tables, wielding their collective voice as a weapon against a system that has failed them.
A Call to Action: Beyond Slogans and Trinkets
This International Women's Day, let us cast aside the meaningless trinkets and conferences. We need concrete action, a dismantling of the structures that perpetuate gender and environmental injustice. Women must be at the forefront of crafting solutions, not mere tokens at the table.
The scales of justice are unbalanced. Women, like Mother Nature, possess immense power. When they rise together, their fury will be a force to be reckoned with. Let this be a wake-up call. The chickens have come home to roost, and the storm is gathering. Take cover, for the feminine will not be ignored any longer.
Fepa
