Women’s Climate Leadership is Democracy in Action
Women collecting water. Credit: Women’s Earth Alliance/Global Women’s Water Initiative
Power, like water, is meant to flow.
Yet across much of the world, it has been dammed— diverted away from the communities that sustain it, held back by systems that concentrate control in the hands of the few.
Nowhere is this clearer than in climate and democracy, where those most impacted— grassroots women— are often shut out of decision-making.
Recent global studies confirm what many of us already feel: democracy is in decline. According to the 2024 Varieties of Democracy report, more countries are seeing democratic erosion than progress worldwide. From collapses in electoral integrity to shrinking civil liberties and executive accountability, nations around the world are facing looming threats to their democratic systems.
This trend is alarming on its own. But combined with systematic rollbacks of women’s rights and a year already marked by escalating climate emergencies— such as the recent Southern California wildfires— a fuller, sobering picture of our times has drawn into focus.
Democracy isn’t just about elections or government institutions. It’s about who holds power in communities, who has a voice in shaping solutions, and how people organize for change. And in the face of climate crises, this kind of democracy matters more than ever. When grassroots women lead climate solutions, they’re not just addressing environmental challenges— they’re strengthening civic engagement, expanding decision-making power, and ensuring policies reflect real community needs.
Gender equity, democracy, and climate stability are deeply connected: when one weakens, the others follow. Strengthening one means strengthening them all. Just as ecosystems flourish through balanced, diverse networks, resilient societies are built from inclusive leadership. This connection demands a shift in how decision-making happens— toward holistic, community-driven solutions that put power in the hands of those most impacted.
At the heart of this connection are grassroots women leaders— expanding democratic participation, driving climate solutions, and building the collective power needed to hold systems accountable. When women lead, democracies don’t just function better— they become stronger, more just, and more responsive to the communities they serve.
A thriving democracy and a livable planet share the same foundation: grassroots women’s leadership. Investing in their solutions today means securing a just, sustainable future for generations to come.
WEA Leader Irma Fatmayanti (left), Indonesia Grassroots Accelerator. Credit: Women’s Earth Alliance/Pratisara Bumi Foundation
Women-Led Solutions: The Missing Piece in Democracy and Climate Action
When women lead, governments tend to have better transparency, communities are more engaged, and policies reflect the realities of the people they serve.
This might seem obvious— after all, women make up half of the world’s population. But their leadership is about more than just representation; it drives real change. Research reveals that women’s participation in decision-making spaces drives meaningful, transformative change:
A global study of 91 countries found that nations with more women in leadership tend to have lower carbon emissions and stronger environmental policies.
Women leaders are more likely to support pro-environment policies, leading to stronger, more lasting climate solutions.
Governments with more women’s representation experience more public trust and lower rates of corruption.
Women’s leadership strengthens both democracy and environmental resilience— but leadership doesn’t just happen in government offices or conference rooms. The most transformative leadership is happening at the grassroots level, where women are not just participating in democracy but expanding and reshaping it. When women lead at the local level, they aren’t just advocating for change— they are governing. They are shaping policies, holding leaders accountable, and building structures of decision-making that reflect the needs of their communities. This isn’t just participation in democracy— it’s democracy in action.
Yet despite the growing evidence to say so, this simple solution is still largely overlooked by organizations, institutions and governments alike. While the number of women in political office has quadrupled over the last fifty years, women’s voices remain vastly underrepresented in halls of power. They hold far fewer seats than their proportion of the population suggests, leaving them well below the numbers necessary to shape legislative outcomes.
Read the full story, published March 5 2025, on Women’s Earth Alliance’s blog.
