Women represent more than 50 percent of the world's population yet continue to be under-represented in global governments. CIWEM wants International Women's Day on 8 March to promote more active involvement from women in environmental decision-making at all levels.

CIWEM admires women such as Lena Sommestad, Minister for the Environment of Sweden and co-chair of the Network of Women Ministers for the Environment, and Green Party Leader Dr Caroline Lucas MEP, but feels that women are often noticeably absent from the discourse and debate regarding climate change.
 
Women world-wide are fundamental to the management of their local resources and the sustaining of local communities. CIWEM believes that women have a key role in tackling climate change as consumers, educators and agents of change, and that the leadership of women parliamentarians and decision-makers is needed to bring a gender perspective to shape equitable climate change policies, including the voices of poor and vulnerable women.
 
If the present trends in poverty growth, population expansion and consumption continue, the negative impacts on natural resources, environment and health will worsen. And women, who represent a majority of the world's poor, will continue to suffer disproportionately due to their different social roles and status.
 
CIWEM calls for the integration of gender perspectives in policies and programmes for sustainable development and would like to see a more holistic approach that incorporates poverty eradication and women's economic empowerment in environmental management and conservation.
 
And whilst CIWEM celebrates nearly 2,000 female members, the Institution wants to continue to increase women's capabilities, knowledge and skills in the environmental field.
 
Paul Horton, CIWEM's Director of International Development, says: 'Sustainable development is not possible without the empowerment of women and gender equality. Their experience, their participation and their leadership are crucial to the success of global environmental efforts. We must have greater participation and involvement of women in environmental decision-making positions in order to meet the complex environmental challenges of our time.'