GENDER AND ECOLOGICAL JUSTICE IN AFRICA: RETHINKING BIODIVERSITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH THROUGH AN ETHICS OF CARE AND INCLUSION
Africa continues to face an ecological crisis marked by biodiversity loss, deforestation, climate change, environmental pollution, and the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. These challenges threaten ecological sustainability and the livelihoods of communities whose survival depends largely on the natural environment. However, the effects of ecological degradation are not felt equally, as women and other vulnerable groups bear a disproportionate burden because of their roles in agriculture, food production, water management, and the preservation of indigenous ecological knowledge. Despite their significant contributions to biodiversity conservation, women remain largely excluded from environmental governance and decision-making. This article examines the relationship between gender and ecological justice in Africa by rethinking biodiversity through an ethics of care and inclusion. It argues that biodiversity conservation should be understood not merely as an environmental or scientific concern but as an ethical responsibility rooted in relationality, solidarity, and respect for the interconnectedness of all life. The article further contends that ecological justice requires the meaningful inclusion of women and local communities, whose knowledge and experiences are indispensable to sustainable biodiversity conservation. The paper used analytical and critical methods and concludes that an ethics of care and inclusion provides a viable moral basis for promoting ecological stewardship, gender justice, and sustainable development in Africa.
Keywords: Gender, Ecological Justice, Biodiversity, Ethics of Care, Inclusion