Women’s role in Bio-Diversity conservation highly significant, claim experts
SK.Vyas
Kapurthala, June 5, 2020 : Pushpa Gujral Science City, in collaboration with Punjab Pollution Control Board, is organizing World Environment Day through a series of webinars. The second webinar of the series was held on yesterday. Dr. Neelima Jerath, DG, Science City welcomed the eminent speakers.
The lead speaker of the day was Dr. Ruchi Pant, Head, Biodiversity, United Nations Development Program, India. In her talk titled “When women lead” Dr. Pant, said that women’s role in Bio-Diversity conservation was highly significant because of the traditional practices followed by them over generations. She informed that UNDP, along with the Ministry of Environment ,had initiated India Biodiversity Awards to honour conservation initiatives pan India. Till date, about 50 individuals and institutions have been recognized through these awards, many of which are led or inspired by women. She spoke on the food sovereignty efforts by Sangham Women Farmers Group, Telangana, efforts by individuals for the protection of plant and animal species in Assam, Kerala, Odisha, etc. and protection of whale sharks in Gujarat where women have followed traditional rituals for protection.
Parvathy Nagarajan, a India Biodiversity awardee and Nari Shakti awardee, spoke on how she inspired the lives of hundreds of women for Pondicherry area through biodiversity-based projects like herbal pharmaceuticals, beauty products and veterinary medicines. Thanking the speakers, Dr. Neelima Jerath said that the efforts of such women need to be emulated.