Whether it’s restoring degraded wetlands, influencing international policy, or leading grassroots efforts, the 2025 Cohort of Women Changemakers in the World of Wetlands prove that diverse perspectives lead to stronger, smarter conservation strategies. These inspirational women navigate funding gaps, break through gender biases, and fight institutional resistance., work that demands a force of strength and character.
“The personal journeys of the Women Changemakers in the World of Wetlands embody the unstoppable momentum unleashed when we empower women and girls, including Indigenous women. To create lasting impact, we must recognize their challenges—and then transform these challenges into investment opportunities for securing the future of our wetlands,” says Dr Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands.
Contracting Parties of the Convention in 2018 adopted Resolution XIII.18 on Gender and Wetlands. This resolution urges countries to integrate a gender perspective into the implementation of the Convention, ensuring that women and their specific needs are considered.
The 2025 cohort of women changemakers are recognized across three categories, aligning with the action pillars of the Convention on Wetlands, namely:
• Fostering international collaboration for wetlands
• Wise use of wetlands, and
• Wetland protection
What can we learn from their journeys? That investing in women-led conservation isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s the most effective path forward. When women are in leadership, conservation strategies don’t just protect wetlands; they protect future generationsand the ecosystems they depend on.
