Ecofem Tales

  Extractivism refers to the large-scale removal of oil, minerals, timber, and other land-based resources.  It is an economic system that treats nature as a storehouse to be exploited, used up, and left depleted. In extractive systems, resources are uprooted faster than they can regenerate and the Earth is too often left to bear the wounds alone. For ecofeminists, this is not only an environmental concern but a profound social justice issue. Extractivism is deeply linked to patriarchy, colonial histories, dispossession, and the unequal burdens placed on women, Indigenous peoples, and local communities. The same logic that treats the Earth as endlessly exploitable also devalues women’s labour, bodies, and care work. Extractivist practices include: • Large-scale mining (gold, oil, lithium, coal)  • Industrial logging (deforestation faster than natural regrowth)  • Commercial monoculture farming (e.g., palm oil, soy replacing diverse ecosystems)  • Deep-sea...

  Across Africa, women are leading some of the most transformative environmental movements of our time. They are defending forests, protecting water sources, promoting sustainable agriculture, advancing clean energy solutions, and rebuilding communities affected by climate change.  Among these visionary leaders is Dr. Priscilla Achakpa, founder and Global President of the Women Environmental Programme (WEP), whose work has become a powerful example of ecofeminist activism rooted in justice, sustainability, and grassroots empowerment. For decades, Priscilla Achakpa has dedicated her life to addressing the interconnected crises of environmental degradation, gender inequality, energy poverty, and climate injustice in Nigeria and beyond. Through WEP, she has shown that environmental protection cannot be separated from the lived realities of women, especially rural women whose survival depends directly on natural ecosystems. Her work reflects one of ecofeminism’s central truths: th...

In a world often overwhelmed by climate headlines and environmental anxiety, stories of grounded, human-centered leadership matter more than ever. One such story is that of Dr. Eliane Ubalijoro, a scientist, educator, and changemaker whose work across Africa shows that environmental conservation is about protecting land and more about empowering people. Dr. Ubalijoro’s journey began in science, with a background in molecular genetics. But over time, her work expanded beyond the laboratory into communities, policies, and ecosystems. What makes her approach stand out is simple but powerful: she doesn’t separate environmental challenges from social realities. Instead, she sees them as deeply connected. Whether addressing soil degradation, biodiversity loss, or climate resilience, her work consistently centers the idea that solutions must include and uplift the people most affected. Conservation, in her vision, is not imposed; it is co-created. Dr Eliane as the CEO of Center for Internatio...