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Breaking down stereotypes, building up women

Gender-transformative work across Asia-Pacific is thwarting stereotypes, expanding opportunities, and implementing solutions that work for people and planet

By United Nations Development Programme

March 7^th, 2023

As the world steps forward to curb climate change and nature loss, finding solutions that work is vital. But our collective destination will not be reached without women’s full, equal participation and leadership.

Promoting gender equality is a key aspect of UNDP’s work in the Asia-Pacific region.

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the commitments made in the Paris Agreement, and reach the targets outlined in the Global Biodiversity Framework, UNDP recognizes that inclusive, human rights-based and gender-responsive approaches must be central.

By engaging women and men equally in decision-making and action, we can work together to protect wildlife, halt environmental degradation, improve livelihoods, and build the sustainable economies and resilient societies of tomorrow.

Gender equality in support of wildlife

Original photo: UNDP/Deepak Malik

When she was growing up on the outskirts of Indonesia’s Bogani Nani Wartabone (BNW) National Park, Fadlun Arrayan Bonde, also known as Ega, had always been passionate about conservation. But with limited conservation jobs available, especially for women, she could never find a way to be part of the action, until now.

After hearing about an opportunity offered by the Combatting Illegal Wildlife Trade project to help stamp out wildlife crime, Ega became a community ranger. Working with BNW National Park rangers, she learned the dangers of the illegal wildlife trade, the importance of forest conservation, and how to prevent crimes against wildlife. Today, she is among a group of women champions on the frontlines of conservation efforts, working with BNW National Park authorities to support communities while protecting the environment.

Breaking down stereotypes, building up women

Breaking down stereotypes, building up women

Breaking down stereotypes, building up women

“I feel encouraged to talk about conservation and engage more with my community,” she said. “I am motivated to talk to people. It’s funny but people in my village now think of me not only as Ega but as the conservation lady, or the person you need to contact when you spot suspicious illegal wildlife trade cases online or on the spot. I feel proud about that.”

Structural transformation: engendering change

To solve the biodiversity and climate crises, it is critical to involve women such as Ega and other representatives of marginalized groups in decision-making. Although women play a vital role in managing natural resources, and are disproportionally affected by biodiversity loss, they are often excluded from decision-making and leadership opportunities.

At the global, regional and national levels, UNDP is accelerating and scaling up its gender equality support, assisting 80 countries. More than US$100 billion has been mobilized to catalyse inclusive taxation systems, public spending, debt instruments and private capital investments, and 500 public institutions and private companies have acquired the UNDP corporate standard Gender Equality Seal.

Original photo: UNDP/Deepak Malik

In Zhaotong City of Yunnan Province in China, women like Chen Guanghui have broken stereotypes and encouraged others to join previously male-dominated professions. Becoming a ranger in black-necked crane territory is sometimes dangerous and pays around US$150 a month. Working in extreme frost, rain and snow, rangers monitor and rescue birds trapped or frozen in the ice and unable to find food as they travel across the wetlands of the Dashanbao National Nature Reserve each year.

Over the past 20 years, Guanghui has participated in rescue feeding operations for more than 90 black-necked cranes. Photo: UNDP China

Mrs. Chen, a mother of three, has overcome the physical challenges of working in extreme conditions, and learned technical conservation skills to monitor the cranes and assist in scientific research around the park, while also improving her income through growing potatoes, which can also be used as food for the birds.

A different perspective

Original photo: UNDP Viet Nam/Phuong Dung

In Viet Nam, Vi Thi Tuoi, from the Thai ethnic minority group in Que Phong district, western Nghe An, was thrilled to be involved in a project designed to protect biodiversity and cultivate medicinal herbs in the forest. She was able to make recommendations about which herbs to collect.

“Project staff asked us, ‘What medicinal plants are present in this area? Where do they grow? When to harvest, how to harvest, how to preserve, whom to sell to?’ Fortunately, the officials asked us instead of our husbands. They won’t be able to answer since it is us that went to collect medicinal herbs in the forest,” Mrs. Tuoi said.

Before the project, Mrs. Tuoi (left) began to notice the depletion of local indigenous medicinal plant species. With high economic and functional value, these plants were disappearing due to forest losses. Photo: Le Vuong

Building skills for conservation

Thwarting stereotypes that hinder progress involves building the skills, confidence, and ability to take advantage of new opportunities. In India, the SECURE Himalaya project is working in select high-altitude regions that are home to the snow leopard. By supporting women to leverage their traditional skills of wool rearing and processing, and through new skills in packaging, bookkeeping and sales, communities are now selling wool products that bolster livelihoods while reducing pressures on surrounding environments.

Original photo: UNDP/Deepak Malik

With this financial empowerment, training on digital literacy and managing bank accounts, Vijeta, a woman from the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand in India, has now participated in a number of international exhibitions, gaining confidence, skills and even awards. “These awards are a great source of motivation for us,” she said. “They give us the belief that we are doing something good and useful. Most of us women never stepped outside the village our whole lives. Now that we meet people from all parts of the country and see their products, we realize the value that our work has.”

Breaking down stereotypes, building up women

Breaking down stereotypes, building up women

Promoting gender equality #ForPeopleForPlanet

There is still much more to be done.

Addressing inequality must be a conscious effort on behalf of both men and women, as part of a holistic effort to protect our planet. UNDP supports women’s environmental stewardship by breaking barriers to pursue professions that were traditionally considered the domain of men.

The steady progress towards positive social norms is providing equal footing for women to take on leadership roles to protect and manage the environments that they depend on and live in. Through their ideas, innovations and activism, women are changing our world for the better. UNDP is there ensuring that nothing holds them back.

© 2026 United Nations Development Programme

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