Sights Set on Highest Ambition as World Rows Through Toughest Ocean Crisis

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Climate Change

Kenya's high-level delegation meets the Republic of Korea's high-level delegation. Kenya will host the 11th OOC. Credit: OOC

Kenya’s high-level delegation meets the Republic of Korea’s high-level delegation. Kenya will host the 11th OOC. Credit: OOC

BUSAN, Korea, Apr 30 2025 (IPS) – Participants from over 100 countries will leave the 10th Our Ocean Conference in Busan, the Republic of Korea, with stark reminders that with sea levels rising dangerously, coastal regions and low-lying areas globally, particularly densely populated areas, are threatened.


Asia, Africa, island nations, as well as the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts are increasingly on the frontlines of the coastal climatic carnage. Countries and regions at high risk include Bangladesh, India, the Philippines, and Pacific Island nations like Tuvalu and Fiji. In 2024, floods caused the highest number of fatalities in Africa in countries such as Cameroon and Nigeria.

“We started this conference with the understanding that the ocean is under threat. A third of the world’s fisheries are overfished. Illegal and destructive fishing is damaging the ecosystems. It hurts the coastal communities that depend on it and undermines global economies. So, to risk the ocean risks the future security of all of our countries and the planet,” said Tony Long, CEO, Global Fishing Watch.

The Our Ocean Conference gathered approximately 1,000 global leaders from various sectors, including heads of state and high-level government officials from over 100 countries, and representatives from more than 400 international and non-profit organizations. Together, they discussed diverse and concrete actions for a sustainable ocean.

Today, experts highlighted the intersection of the ocean, climate, and biodiversity in finding solutions that transform science into political action. While the ocean is on the frontlines of the climate crisis, it is also a significant source of sustainable solutions because it absorbs nearly 25 percent of carbon dioxide emissions and 90 percent of the heat resulting from these emissions.

The 30×30 campaign supports the national and global movements to protect at least 30 percent of the blue planet’s land, waters, and ocean by 2030. While moderating a session on the importance of 30×30 and progress in national waters, Melissa Wright, a senior member of the environment team at Bloomberg Philanthropies, where she leads the Bloomberg Ocean Initiative, spoke about ongoing support for the global ambition.

“We’re supporting global ambition to achieve 30×30 in the ocean through equitable and inclusive partnerships and initiatives with civil society, governments, indigenous and community groups, and local leaders. Since 2014, the Blue Water Ocean Initiative has invested more than USD366 million to advance ocean conservation,” she said.

The initiative works in tandem with governments, NGOs, and local leaders to accelerate the designation and enforcement of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Most recently, the initiative has pushed for the rapid ratification of the High Seas Treaty and ensured the creation of MPAs in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

“We do not have much time left until 2030 to achieve the 30×30. As such, we are presented with a unique and challenging opportunity for ambitious, robust enhancement to our national and global capacities for the protection, conservation, and sustainability of our oceans,” said Noralene Uy, Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning, and Foreign-Assisted and Special Projects, Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Noralene Uy speaking to participants about the Philippines' efforts and challenges towards achieving the 30x30 targets. Credit: Joyce Chimbi/IPS

Noralene Uy speaking to participants about the Philippines’ efforts and challenges towards achieving the 30×30 targets. Credit: Joyce Chimbi/IPS

The Philippines is one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world, meaning it possesses a high level of biodiversity and a large number of endemic species. The country is home to a significant portion of the world’s plant and animal species, including many unique and endemic species.

Within this context, she said an undue burden weighs on the Philippines given limited resources and other priority development objectives. Nonetheless, the country has turned to science and is making progress. The country has established marine scientific research stations strategically located in the major marine biogeographic regions of the country to provide insights and knowledge into their ocean.

They have also formulated the national ocean environment policy, stressing that as science and policy evolve according to the priorities of our country, organizational structures and knowledge systems must change as well.

To achieve the highest ambition in marine protection, the Philippines and coastal communities around the globe now have an ever-greater need for financing and technical resources. Brian O’Donnell, Director, Campaign for Nature, explained that the only available assessment of the cost of 30×30 on a global scale is now five years old.

“According to the assessment, it would cost about USD 100 billion a year to implement 30×30 both on land and in the sea and at the time of the assessment, only about USD 20 billion was being spent, leaving an USD 80 billion annual shortfall,” he explained.

“Not only do we need to ensure we get more money into this space, but that money is delivered efficiently and effectively to the people, communities, and countries where biodiversity is and those who are safeguarding it.”

O’Donnell said that, despite ongoing challenges in mobilizing financial resources, there is some notable progress. He spoke about the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in 2022, which includes a target for wealthy nations to provide at least USD 20 billion annually in international biodiversity finance to developing countries by 2025, increasing to USD 30 billion by 2030.

This target aims to help developing countries implement their biodiversity strategies and action plans, particularly those in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. But O’Donnell said there is a need to change how things are done, as, unfortunately, much of the financing to developing countries is coming in the form of loans and short-term financing.

In all, he encouraged partnerships and collaboration in raising much-needed resources, such as the Oceans 5, which is dedicated to protecting the world’s five oceans. Oceans 5 is an international funders’ collaborative dedicated to stopping overfishing, establishing marine protected areas, and constraining offshore oil and gas development, three of the highest priorities identified by marine scientists around the world. Bloomberg Philanthropies is a founding partner of Oceans 5.

Looking ahead, there is optimism that by the time delegates settle down for the 11th Our Ocean Conference in 2026 in Kenya, the global community will have moved the needle in their efforts across finance, policy, capacity building, and research towards marine protected areas, sustainable blue economy, climate change, maritime security, sustainable fisheries, and reduction of marine pollution.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

How to Put the ‘Sexy’ Back into Agriculture – Thoughts From CGIAR Science Week

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Food Systems

Dr Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR. Credit: Busani Bafana

Dr Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR. Credit: Busani Bafana

NAIROBI, Apr 11 2025 (IPS) – This week presented a beacon of hope for young people so that the “girl from the South and the boy, of course” could stay in the developing world, Dr Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR, said during a press conference on the final day of the CGIAR Science Week.


Science and innovation could whet their appetites, especially as research and innovation can change the perception that it is a drudgery-filled occupation to one where there is room for ambition – and it made business sense.

“In the face of slow productivity and rising risks, the case is clear. Investing in agricultural research is one of the smartest and most future-proof decisions that anyone can make,” she said.

Elouafi, along with the other panellists Dr Eliud Kiplimo Kireger, the Director General of KALRO and Eluid Rugut, a youth agri-champion at the Ban Ki-moon Centre, alluded to the broad value chain of agriculture, which will make it attractive to young people.

Dr Eliud Kiplimo Kireger, the Director General of KALRO. Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS

Dr Eliud Kiplimo Kireger, the Director General of KALRO. Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS

Kireger commented that people say, “Agriculture is not sexy, and so we need to make it sexy,” and encourage young people into science. Apart from encouraging young kids into science, there was a space in it for young people who don’t want to see returns on their investments in years but in months.

Rugut’s personal experience backs the claim up; he told the press conference that he first had to convince his father to give him a little land – and this wasn’t an easy task. Rugut, who represents both the youth and a smallholder, said it was only once his father saw the benefits of the new technologies that he was prepared to give his son the benefit of the doubt.

“It was very hard to convince my dad to give us land, but over time, these technologies that I was trying to bring to the farm – like drip irrigation, water pumps and drought-tolerant seeds,” Rugut said, but in the end, “I was able to convince him. Also, my mom was able to convince him.”

Kireger said the week-long conference had shown the power of collaboration, especially because research was expensive and the need was great. However, digitisation had meant that a lot of the research was no longer stuck in the labs and was now in the hands of farmers.

and Eluid Rugut, a youth agri-champion at the Ban Ki-Moon Centre. Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS

Eluid Rugut, a youth agri-champion at the Ban Ki-Moon Centre. Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS

He encouraged farmers (and the journalists at the conference) to take a look at the Google Play store, where there are KALRO apps.

“So, if you go to Google Play Store, you will find many KALRO apps which you can download onto your phone. So, if you’re a coffee farmer, for example, you can download a guide on your phone.”

This digitisation is key to scaling research and making it accessible.

Elouafi, too, said investment in agribusiness was crucial to transforming the sector There was a need for public-private partnerships so farmers were no longer only involved in production but down the value chain too.

“So strategic investment in agricultural research isn’t just necessary; it is economically smart. We have seen a USD 10 return on every dollar spent on research and development in the agriculture sector.”

She provided several examples. Participating in the value chain could transform USD 300 of wheat into USD 3000 through pasta production. Likewise with quinoa, millet and sorghum, which cost USD 4 in the market, with production, can fetch USD 50 to USD 100 per kilogram in the market.

This opportunity is where policies and subsidies come in, to put this potential into the hands of the farmers. “This is a gap we need to bridge,” Elouafi said.

Elouafi reported significant progress this week, particularly in addressing food insecurity. The achievements included the launch of the CGIAR research portfolio, the International Potato Centre (CIP) and KALRO biotech agreement, the IWMI water security strategy for East Africa, and the publication of CGIAR’s flagship report, Insight to Impact: A decision-maker’s guide to navigating food system science.

“Science week  has demonstrated the strength of partnerships. How together we can generate powerful tools, innovation, technologies, knowledge, institutions, policies – all of it – to deliver real-world impact for the communities that we serve.

“In the era of fake news and misinformation, our work, our impact, our partnership, and our commitment to the communities we serve are real, and our impact is real, and we need to have a much louder voice. We cannot let it up because the gap will be filled by misinformation.”

IPS UN Bureau Report,

 

Women, Indigenous Communities Must Lead Climate Finance Allocations at COP29—Plan International Global Director

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Soumya Guha, the Global Director of Programs, Plan International. Credit: Umar Manzoor Shah

Soumya Guha, the Global Director of Programs, Plan International. Credit: Umar Manzoor Shah

BAKU, Nov 16 2024 (IPS) – Plan International, a global leader in advocating for children’s rights and gender equality, sees the need for women and Indigenous people to be at the forefront of climate negotiations.


Founded in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War, Plan International has spent over eight decades working to improve the lives of children in some of the world’s most underprivileged regions. While its initial focus was on broader child welfare, the organization has, over the last ten years, shifted its attention toward empowering girls, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This strategic pivot has an understanding that girls often face compounded barriers to education, health, and economic opportunities, especially in remote and conflict-prone areas.

Today, Plan International, says Soumya Guha, the Global Director of Programs, operates in 52 countries, supported by fundraising activities across 22 locations. Its programs target the most marginalized communities, focusing on holistic, long-term development alongside emergency humanitarian responses. This dual approach has allowed the organization to integrate its development goals with pressing needs, such as disaster resilience and conflict mitigation.

“We believe the first five years of a child’s life are critical in shaping their future,” Guha said. The organization’s “I Am Ready” program, implemented in countries like Laos, Tanzania, and Cambodia, addresses linguistic and social barriers faced by children from marginalized groups. By offering a ten-week intensive program that prepares children for primary school in their local language, the initiative has led to a remarkable 37 percent improvement in school attendance and retention rates.

In earthquake-prone areas, the organization has introduced disaster preparedness programs that equip schools to respond effectively during emergencies. “In the Kathmandu earthquake, schools participating in our safety programs were able to evacuate quickly, saving lives,” Guha said.

Beyond education, Plan International emphasizes sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), ensuring that young people have access to critical information and resources. Programs that support economic empowerment, such as initiatives involving school feeding programs, complement these efforts. In Sierra Leone, for instance, women’s cooperatives not only supply food for schools but also reinvest their earnings to establish educational facilities in underserved areas. This approach has created a ripple effect, fostering gender equality, boosting local economies, and enhancing educational outcomes.

Recognizing the disproportionate impact of climate change on marginalized communities, the organization integrates climate adaptation strategies into its education and health programs. In Asia, combating child marriage and addressing climate vulnerabilities are emerging priorities. “Child marriage is a persistent issue in Asia, and we are determined to tackle it alongside climate change challenges,” Guha said.

He added that operating in regions affected by conflict and disasters requires a nuanced approach. In Ethiopia’s Tigray region, where prolonged conflict has displaced thousands, Plan International works with local organizations to provide immediate relief while also supporting host communities. This dual focus aims to ease tensions and promote peacebuilding. Similar strategies have been employed in Bangladesh during the Rohingya refugee crisis, where the organization ensured that support extended to both displaced populations and the local communities hosting them.

“Technology plays an increasingly important role in Plan International’s programs, particularly in remote and resource-poor areas. In Sierra Leone, for example, a digital platform called Televret enables real-time feedback on the quality of school meals, ensuring accountability and timely action. In Ethiopia, augmented reality tools are being piloted to support children with learning disabilities by making educational content more accessible and engaging,” Guha said.

The organization plans to continue its focus on early childhood development, education, economic empowerment, and climate resilience. While its geographic priorities remain centered on Africa and Asia, it will also maintain a presence in South America, addressing deep-seated inequities that persist despite overall economic progress in the region.

Guha stressed the importance of international cooperation at COP29, particularly in climate finance. The organization advocates for ambitious funding targets, stating that developed nations should bear a significant share of the responsibility. “The most marginalized communities, including women and indigenous populations, must be at the forefront of climate finance allocations,” said.

IPS UN Bureau Report

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Prostitution an ‘Egregious Violation of Human Rights’—UN Special Rapporteur

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Gender Violence

Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, at a press conference in which she discusses her findings on prostitution. Credit: Naureen Hossain/IPS

Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, at a press conference in which she discusses her findings on prostitution. Credit: Naureen Hossain/IPS

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 3 2024 (IPS) – Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, calls prostitution a “system of violence” that does not benefit society at all, especially the women and girls forced into this system.


Alsalem spoke at the Roosevelt Public Policy House in New York on Wednesday, October 2, to discuss her special report in which she posits that prostitution is a form of violence against women and girls. The report was first made public in June 2024, where it was presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Over 60 member states endorsed the report and its findings, including but not limited to Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, Norway, Sweden, Colombia, France, Bangladesh, India, and Nigeria.

Alsalem received over 300 submissions for the report from multiple stakeholders, including civil society groups, academia, experts, policymakers, and, importantly, women from around the world with lived experience.

Across the world, the exploitation of women and girls through prostitution and sex trafficking is a pervasive issue that threatens their safety and rights. Alsalem remarked that many systems of prostitution are built on patriarchal norms that position the abuse of power at the hands of mostly men, who are largely the ‘buyers’ or the profiteers in the sex trade. Deeper economic inequalities and the complexities of emergency humanitarian situations have only further displaced women and girls from systems that would have protected and empowered them.

Alsalem remarked that efforts to normalize or recognize prostitution as a form of labor, such as referring to it as “sex work,” do more harm by gaslighting the women who have experienced it, and it fails to consider the serious human rights violations that can occur within the system, such as the physical and psychological harm they experience under this umbrella of “labor.”

Pornography should also be classified as a form of prostitution and violence against women at large, according to Alsalem. She noted that its proliferation has only normalized acts of violence and harmful attitudes towards women and girls. Alsalem told IPS that the online platforms that host pornographic material only further incentivize and promote these acts and other forms of coercive and nonconsensual sexual acts.

Regardless of the platform, how it is branded or how one enters the trade, the system of prostitution is based on the commodification of the body to undergo physical activity and under that there cannot be consent, Alsalem argues.

“Trying to pretend that there is somehow consent in prostitution, that women want to do this, is actually meaningless in context like prostitution because the concept of consent is actually not relevant when there are systems of exploitation and violence,” she said. “And when the term of consent is being weaponized while we fully know that whatever notions of agreement that women may have—or at least some of them—is extorted through physical coercion, manipulation, and violence.”

When it comes to the legal frameworks around prostitution, this also reveals the contradictions within countries on the letter of the law versus its regulation in practice. The report indicates that under certain approaches, little is actually done to de-incentivize “buyers” or “organizers” in engaging in prostitution systems.

Criminalizing prostitution is more likely to punish the prostituted persons through persecution and incarceration, social ostracization, and even further abuse at the hands of law enforcement. In fact, under this approach, it is rare that the ‘buyers’ are punished or that the third parties are held accountable. Under the regulation approach, legal prostitution ensures control to the state through commercial establishments and federal or national laws, including tax laws that they profit from, often at the expense of the sex workers. Decriminalizing prostitution allows for all parties to operate without the fear of persecution; however, this has also resulted in an increased demand, and it does not stop exploitative parties from profiting off vulnerable women and girls and leading them into the sex trade.

The report speaks in favor of the abolition approach, otherwise known as the “Equality model” or the “Nordic model.” Under this model, third parties (the ‘organizers’) and the buyers are criminalized for engaging in the buying and promotion of sex, while the sex workers do not face criminal persecution. Instead, more investments are made in exit pathways for sex workers to ensure alternative work, economic stability, housing, and support to address trauma and even substance abuse where needed. In the report, Alsalem notes that the Nordic model maintains the international standard on sexual exploitation and trafficking in persons by criminalizing third parties, and that it recognizes the majority of prostitutes are women and girls.

This approach could have its limitations, however, as one report from the London School of Economics (LSE) notes that sex trade legislation still varies across the different countries that implement this model, the safety of sex workers remains uncertain and they still face the risk of policing. For migrant sex workers, their status prevents them from accessing social protections, and under immigration laws, prostitution can be grounds for deportation.

The issues present in the current legal models for prostitution reflect some of the institutional structures that maintain the status quo where sex workers are exploited and left unprotected. At the same time, they also reflect a wider cultural issue on how prostitution, and more broadly, sex, is discussed and perceived.

“In addition to being a human rights violation that needs legal solutions, what is mentioned very clearly in the report is that we are dealing with a cultural issue,” said Taina Bien-Aimé, Executive Director of Coalition Against Trafficking in Women. She added that other acts of violence against women, such as intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and harassment, are now recognized as forms of abuse.

“But for some reason, because money is exchanged in prostitution, somehow it is seen outside of the context of male violence and discrimination, particularly against women and girls.”

In her report, Alsalem offers recommendations to governments on how they can reshape their legislation and policies on prostitution towards a direction that is more conscionable of human rights and that centers the experiences of the women and girls who are forced to participate. Governments also need to take measures to address the root causes behind prostitution and the factors that leave women and girls at a higher risk of it.

“The importance of this report is in its recommendations as well, where the Special Rapporteur is asking jurisdictions and member states around the world to find legislative and policy solutions to this egregious human rights violation,” said Bien-Aimé.

When asked to elaborate on the steps that need to be taken by international actors like the United Nations, Alsalem referred to the recommendation that UN agencies should also adopt a rights-based approach to prostitution. Alsalem commented that she had reached out to several UN agencies. In particular, she is having “continuous conversations” with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), on her recommendation for these agencies to conduct studies into the wider impacts of prostitution on survivors within their focus of health and labor.

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Frontline Women’s Fund, and local civil society groups play an important role in spotlighting the issue. Alsalem told IPS that they need to come together to listen to the survivors of prostitution, as well as engage with all actors working on the matter.

“We see that in decision-making places, including governments, parliaments, whenever the issue is discussed, the law is being prepared or the policy is being revised, some have privileged access to these decision-making places, and that can be those that are advocating for full legalization of all aspects. Whereas those that are advocating for the abolition model… cannot get the same access, and that includes survivors.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

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World Governments, NGOs Announce $350m Investments in Sexual and Reproductive Health Services

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Population

Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA’s Executive Director. Credit: UNFPA

Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA’s Executive Director. Credit: UNFPA

UNITED NATIONS, Sep 26 2024 (IPS) – On the heels of the Summit of the Future and the sidelines of the United Nations High-Level Meeting Week, governments and philanthropies pledged to commit at least USD 350 million to boost family planning, sexual and reproductive health and supplies on the national and global level. As enshrined in the newly-adopted Pact for the Future, seeking new international finance models is critical to solving the issues that the world faces today. The decision to pledge forward is a demonstration of commitment to ongoing health issues.


On September 24, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Family Planning 2030 (FP2030) and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) invited prominent figures across the private, development and government sectors to promote political will on the matter of sustainable investments towards sexual and reproductive health (SRH). 

“Investing in reproductive health supplies is a ‘best buy’ for development, empowering women, improving maternal and newborn health outcomes, and uplifting economies,” said Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA’s Executive Director.

When speaking on UNFPA’s partnerships with the co-organizers, Kanem remarked: “What we’re doing is transforming lives. The life of a girl in her community, the life of an adolescent in her city, and empowering communities and families to be able to harness and take control of their futures.”

“So much of our world has been made possible by family planning,” said Dr. Samukeliso Dube, Executive Director of FP2030. “By enabling more women to shape their lives and futures, family planning has helped women to finish their education, join the workforce, ascend to leadership positions, and achieve their dreams.”

Donor countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, and Spain, announced pledges to the UNFPA Supplies Partnership, which delivers modern contraceptives and maternal health supplies to women and girls in low-income countries. Through this partnership, UNFPA has helped to prevent 1.6 million child deaths, 254,000 maternal deaths, and 2.6 million unsafe abortions. The contributions to UNFPA could potentially save up to 9000 women and girls worldwide. As Anneliese Dodds, UK Minister for Development and Women and Inequalities, remarked, investing in SRH was “critical to making sure that women have the power.”

Speakers representing their countries’ governments pledged their support through domestic financial investments. The governments of Madagascar, Nepal, and the Kyrgyz Republic, for example, announced domestic financial commitments that would invest in SRH services in their countries.

Madagascar announced a contribution of USD 15 million to procure health supplies through UNFPA. Their minister of public health, Zely Arivelo Randriamanantany, added that their goal was to increase access to contraceptives by over 50 percent. Arzu Rana Deube, foreign minister of Nepal, announced the government’s commitment of USD 600,000 to purchase high-quality contraceptives. Renat Mavlyanbai Uulu, Advisor to the Minister of Health, of the Kyrgyz Republic, announced a commitment of USD 119,000 to domestic resources for family planning commodities.

Feri Anita Wijayanti, a registered midwife from Indonesia. Credit: UN

Feri Anita Wijayanti, a registered midwife from Indonesia. Credit: UNFPA

As UNFPA Chief of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Ayman Abdelmohsen told IPS, the commitments to domestic financing are significant; it shows that in “allocating from their own resources… and [making] budgetary allocations,”  these governments will prioritize SRH without relying on foreign donors. It is in line with UNFPA’s compact agreements with 44 countries, through which countries will build up their capacity to provide comprehensive reproductive health through their own resources.

Despite the predicted growth in contraceptive access and maternal health by 2030, the current financing gap why this is still far off in the future. The gap currently sits at at least USD 1.5 billion in the world’s poorest countries.

Throughout the event, the speakers emphasized the ‘transformative’ power of SRH in countries. That to invest in SRH is to invest in girls’ and women’s’ agency over the health and life choices. In guaranteeing women’s sexual and reproductive health, it pays forward in protecting families and communities. In terms of financing, every dollar spent on family planning can yield more than 8 dollars in benefits for families and societies.

Investing in healthcare also goes forward to the practitioners within the sector. As Feri Anita Wijayanti, a registered midwife from Indonesia, explained to the panel, many communities rely on the expertise of midwives, whose responsibilities extend “far beyond delivering babies,”  for they are at the frontlines to address other health issues.

“Every second in every corner of the world, midwives work tirelessly to protect the lives of women and babies, and to provide sexual and reproductive health services,” she said. Midwives have the power to save an estimated 4.3 million lives each year by 2025. We urge you to invest in us, to believe in the transformative power of midwives and to begin by investing in sexual and reproductive health.”

The commitments made by countries and the private sector are a step forward in closing the considerable financing gap. They come at a time where senior leadership within the UN, namely the Secretary-General, has called for countries to explore innovative and sustainable financing to address global inequalities. The commitments made at this event demonstrate that despite the challenges to SRH, there is political will in support of, and it can be mobilized to ensure this care for all.

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Tanzania’s Maasai Women Adopt Climate-Smart Solutions To Tame Drought

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Food and Agriculture

Maria Naeku, a Maasaiwoman in Mikese village in Mvomero district tends to her vegetable garden.Credit: Kizito Makoye Shigela/IPS

Maria Naeku, a Maasaiwoman in Mikese village in Mvomero district tends to her vegetable garden.Credit: Kizito Makoye Shigela/IPS

MVOMERO, Tanzania, Sep 24 2024 (IPS) – In the scorching sun of Mikese village in Tanzania’s eastern Mvomero district, 31-year-old Maria Naeku tirelessly tends to her small vegetable patch. Each time she pulls a weed, the red soil stains her hands as she guides the trickle of water from a maze of pipes through an elevated bed to nurture her plants. In a drought-stricken area, Naeku’s small garden is a lifeline for her family, giving them food and income.


“When the drought hit, our cattle died, and we couldn’t get milk for the children,” Naeku says. “I knew I had to find a way to feed my family, so I had to grow vegetables.” 

The drip irrigation technique, where a network of pipes with tiny holes spit water directly to the plant in a split second, was new to her but she tried. “I didn’t  know how if tiny drops of water could nourish the crops,” she says. “But when I saw green leaves sprouting from the soil, I knew I had a brighter future.”

Naeku’s quickly became an expert, her success inspired other women across  the village to follow her lead. The Maasai, traditionally, known for cattle rearing—a symbol of wealth and security are increasingly adopting climate-smart farming to cope with drought as rains have become erratic due to climate change. Women like Naeku, who once depended entirely on these herds, have been forced to adopt innovative farming techniques to survive.

Shattering the Patriarchy

In Maasai culture, men have long held the reins of power, with women relegated to the roles of caregivers and homemakers. Decision-making, particularly in land and livestock matters, has traditionally been the exclusive domain of men. However, the severe droughts have shifted these dynamics. With their cattle dwindling and their families hungry, Maasai women have begun to step into roles once reserved for men, embracing climate-smart agriculture as an alternative means of survival.

“We are no longer just caretakers of our families,” says 34-year-old Nasarian Lengai, a mother of five who has become a local champion for horticulture farming at Mikese. “We are decision-makers who are shaping the future of our community.”

Initially skeptical, Lengai strongly believe in horticulture using organic farming practices. “When I first heard about these methods, I didn’t think they’d work for us,” she says. “But after seeing how much better my crops are now, I’m sure this is the right way to go.”

For centuries, the Maasai have relied on cattle for their food—milk, meat, and even blood. Switching to farming was a big change from their old ways.

“We used to believe that having many cattle was the only way to keep wealth and ensure security,” says Esuvat Joseph, who leads the Tupendane Maasai women’s group at Mikese village. “But now we understand that we need to cope with drought. We’ve learned to keep fewer cattle and focusing more on farming.”

Tupendane group has also embraced water conservation techniques, constructing ground reservoirs to collect rainwater. “This water is very important,” she explains. “We use it for irrigation when the rivers dry up.”

Climate-smart Solutions

The Maasai women’s adoption of climate-smart agriculture is not just a response to immediate needs but a strategy for long-term resilience. Through initiatives supported by the Norwegian Church Aid—an international charity—these women are learning to diversify their income sources, reducing their dependence on livestock and embracing sustainable horticulture practices.

“We’re teaching these women how to make the most of their small plots of land,” explains Oscar John, the program manager with Norwegian Church Aid. “By diversifying their income sources, they’re less dependent on livestock, which is increasingly vulnerable to drought.”

Conservation agriculture, a key component of this initiative, promotes sustainable farming techniques that improve soil health and increase crop yields without depleting natural resources.

For the women of Mvomero, this has been a divine plan. They are learning to grow drought-resistant crops, rotate their fields, and use organic fertilizers, all of which contribute to better crop yields.

As more women embrace climate-smart agriculture, the ripple effects are being felt in neighboring villages, as women once skeptical of these new methods, are now seeing the success in Mvomero and beginning to learn these practices in their own drought-stricken lands.

Empowerment in Action

The shift from livestock to crop farming has had a huge impact on the social dynamics within the Maasai community. Women, who were once sidelined in decision-making processes, are now taking the lead in managing their families’ resources. This newfound empowerment is improving their social and economic status while challenging the patriarchal norms that have long defined their society.

“We’ve always been made to believe that men are the decision-makers,” says Lengai. “But now we’re showing that women can lead too. We can take care of our families and make better decisions.”

This sense of empowerment is evident in the way the women of Mvomero approach their work. They are tending to their crops and building a future where their voices are heard and their contributions are valued. The construction of rainwater harvesting systems, for example, is a task that these women have taken on with pride. “We don’t wait for our husbands to do it; we build these reservoirs ourselves,” says Joseph. “It’s our way of showing that we can take care of ourselves.”

The men in the community are recognizing the shifting gender roles, and some of them are starting to appreciate the benefits of shared decision-making. While resistance remains, the success of these women is slowly changing attitudes. As the benefits of climate-smart agriculture become more apparent, more men are joining their wives in these efforts, working together to secure a better future for their families.

Challenges on the Horizon

The transition from livestock to crop farming is not without its difficulties, particularly for a community that has long measured wealth by the size of its herds. “There are still some who resist change,” admits Joseph. “They see farming as a lesser occupation compared to cattle herding. But as more of us succeed, the mindset is shifting.”

The path to fully accepting these new practices is slow, and the women of Mvomero know their success is just the start. They face many challenges ahead, including the risk of drought and strong cultural norms that shape gender roles in Maasai society.

But the women are strong. They know that their efforts are not just to overcome the on-going crisis but also about creating a better future for their children.

“We are planting the seeds of change,” says Naeku. “Our daughters will grow up knowing that they can be anything they want to be. They will see that women can lead, that we can innovate, and that we can solve any problems.”

A Model for the Future

The success of the Maasai women in Mvomero is beginning to attract attention from other drought-hit areas in Tanzania. Development organizations and government agencies are taking note of the community’s innovative approach and exploring ways to replicate it in other regions facing similar challenges.

“We see this as a model that can be adapted and implemented in other parts of the country,” says John. “The key is to empower communities, particularly women, to take control of their resources and livelihoods. When people are given the tools and knowledge they need, they can achieve incredible things.”

As Maasai women in pastoral communities make progress, they are not only securing their own future but also creating a stronger and fairer society. Their journey shows determination, innovation, and empowerment—a true example of women’s strength in overcoming challenges.

In Tanzania’s Maasai steppe, where the future of pastoral communities is uncertain, these women are showing that with the right support, even the most marginalized can overcome   their problem and lead a better life.

IPS UN Bureau Report

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