Washington, DC — African Wildlife Foundation sponsors gathering in Washington

"Women in Africa are the most culturally, economically, and politically disadvantaged," said Dr. Helen Gichohi of the African Wildlife Foundation, but "they are also the most dependent on the wildlife and forests for food, water and firewood for their families."

Dr. Gichohi stated this basic fact of life in Africa during a breakfast sponsored by the AWF at the National Press Club in Washington that highlighted the progress being made in the field of conservation in Africa and, specifically, the role of women in that process.

"Women in Conservation" was the topic for a panel discussion that featured Dr. Gichohi, AWF's vice president for programming; Faida Mitifu, the ambassador from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); Katie Frohardt, executive director of Fauna & Flora International; and Kim Sams, manager of conservation initiatives for Walt Disney World. All pointed out argued the central function of women in the entire conservation movement since they are the front line in the process in Africa.

Gichohi noted that when the political or economic decision is made to build in a forested area, it is the women -- who had been excluded from the decision entirely -- who have to walk farther for their water, search longer for their food and make more trips to carry their firewood. They are the ones most closely connected to the environment and "When the environment is degraded, women suffer the brunt of the effects," said Gichohi.

In that context, she stated, it is essential that women living in forested areas develop income-generating activities that take advantage of the natural resources around them.

"I was sitting with my friend the other day and we were drinking some herbal tea and she commented that the tea wasn't very good," explained Gichohi. "We have women living so close to herbs that would make much better tea than what we were drinking. We need to commercialize the herbs and help the women earn a living without dislocating them from conservation areas."

Ambassador Faida Mitifu of the DRC said that her country's history of civil war has resulted in an unusually large number of female-headed households that depend on the forest for "sustainable life." Mitifu said that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will work with AWF to develop projects that focus on conserving wildlife and on increasing women's involvement in that effort.

Mitifu observed that there is a continuing contradiction between the traditional roles of women in Africa and the requirements of modern life. While there has been progress towards engaging women in politics and conservation, she said, there is still room for improvement.

"In a male-dominated world, the policies are made by men, and the women and their plight are forgotten," explained Mitifu. She encouraged non-governmental organizations with a strong female influence to continue to advance the role of women in conservation projects.

Sams, in applauding the work of women in this vital field, noted that there were few men in attendance. She summed up the thoughts of many of the other panelists: "We have to get more men involved," she said, "because right now, ladies, we're really preaching to the choir."

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)