This year marks the 92nd anniversary of International Women's Day. Since 1977, The United Nations General Assembly, has proclaimed International Women's Day an occasion to reflect on the progress women have made in their struggle for equality, peace, and development.

In recognition of International Women's Day (the official day is March 8), Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald, authors of the Worldwatch Institute's State of the World 2003 chapter, "Linking Population, Women, and Biodiversity," will discuss how environmental well-being and social progress require the active participation and equality of women.

Specifically, they will look at the complex links between gender inequity, population growth, and biodiversity decline and explain why successful solutions to these issues must be comprehensive and multifaceted.

Nierenberg and MacDonald were online, Monday, Mar. 10 at 2 p.m. ET, to take your questions and comments.

The transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: Hi Washington Post Readers,
We're happy to be here marking International Women's Day and telling you more about Worldwatch State of the World 2003 report. A summary of the report can be found online at www.worldwatch.org and is available for purchase at bookstores or directly from Worldwatch.

washingtonpost.com: Here is the Worldwatch Institute chapter summary to "Chapter 3: Linking Population, Women, and Biodiversity."

Arlington, Va.: Can you tell us more about your research about women and biodiversity? Was your project presented before the United Nations?

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: Our report focuses on gender, biodiversity, and population and the links between these areas. For instance, fertility levels, especially in the developing world, are often determined by women's status and education, as well as their decision-making power. While both men and women have strong links to biodiversity, women are often the first and most affected by environmental problems. Researchers have found that the more control women have over natural resources, the better able they are to protect and preserve those resources for the future. Worldwatch publications are directed at government officials, the United Nations, students, NGOs, and the general public.

Washington, D.C.: How does the relationship between women and biodiversity differ from that between men and biodiversity. I'm afraid I'm missing the importance of this study.

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: While both men and women have a relationship with natural resources and a dependence on them, especially in the developing world, women are often the most affected when environmental degradation takes place due to their roles as caretakers and household managers. On a daily basis, they are charged with finding sources of household fuel (mostly wood), clean water, and tending crops and livestock for home use or sale in markets. Also, in general, women still have very limited control over how natural resources are used. Think about it: throughout the world, the way that major resources are used is still almost wholly in the control of men, as in mining, logging and grazing operations.

Washington, D.C.: How has the administration's refusal to fund Planned Parenthood style programs abroad affected women in developing nations where population control is already a major issue?

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: The policy that you are probably referring to is called the Mexico City Policy (Global Gag Rule) which prohibits U.S. money from going to organizations overseas that use their own private funds to provide abortion referrals, abortion services, or abortion counseling. This policy also prohibits organizations in other countries from lobbying their own governments in regard to abortion policies. Obviously, many family planning clinics that also provide abortion services are unable to benefit from U.S. funding. Denying these key health care measures will likely result in millions of unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions and higher incidence of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Vienna, Va.: What were some of the global forums on women talked about at the UN day? What is the status of improving women's status in Afghanistan and other Muslim countries? What is the status of providing women family planning in Africa?

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: Of course, many people, including at the UN, discussed issues of war and peace and how women as well as children are affected by armed conflict. Other events or statements focused on: the rise in HIV infections among women -- about half of the world's people now infected with HIV are women, up about 10% from just a few years ago (physical and socio-economic factors, like poverty and power, make women more vulnerable to HIV than men); or the continued prevalence of domestic violence; the considerable number (over 60 million) of girls around the world who are not in primary school; and also women's work and contributions to local and global economies. In terms of Afghanistan, some news is good: some progress on girls' education, but poverty, dislocation and joblessness seem still quite widespread. A recent UN report showed that women in Afghanistan continue to face restrictions and discrimination and that in fact some newly reopened girls' schools have been bombed. In terms of the Muslim world, that's a large issue and there is a huge variety in the status and role of women, with women having served as prime ministers in some Muslim countries (Pakistan and Bangladesh)to nearly half the adult women in Pakistan being illiterate. In Africa, about 25% of married women use contraception; there are still considerable needs for health care, AIDS prevention and treatment, and education programs.

Arlington, Va.: Was the anti-war march on Saturday part of International Women's Day? Thousands of women and female celebrities were chanting "Bush says Code Red; we say Code Pink" as they marched downtown. Did you take part in the march as well and what are your viewpoints on women and war?

washingtonpost.com: In Effort to Keep the Peace, Protesters Declare 'Code Pink' (Post, Mar. 9, 2003)

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: I (DN) did take part in last weekend's march against U.S. plans to bomb Iraqi men, women, and children. Women and children are disproportionate casualties whenever there is conflict, especially in post-conflict situations. For instance, women in refugee camps often have to sell their bodies in exchange for food and other necessities. This puts them at great risk of not only unwanted pregnancies, but HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Arlington, Va.: International Women's Day makes me laugh out loud (and I'm a woman). There are very few countries where women are considered more than baby-bearers and sexual slaves. Let's not celebrate any "accomplishments" for women's rights until they resound in less fortunate areas of the world, ok?

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: Well, I (MM) was at the UN on March 7th for a celebration of International Women's Day -- the opening of an exhibit of photographs of women's work around the world -- and people there, men and women, were in a buoyant frame of mind. This isn't to say that there aren't huge inequalities that remain between women and men around the world and violence and repression practiced simply on the basis of gender. But there has also been considerable progress for women in recent decades: more power to make decisions, gender gaps in literacy closing, more control of fertility, more voice to stand up to abusive partners and more activism by and for women on environmental and social justice issues. International Women's Day is a way to remind the world of that, and also to focus attention on what still needs to be done, which is a lot.

Washington, D.C.: When you talk about "fertility levels" are you advocating that couples have smaller children for the sake of the environment? If so, how do you combat religious and some cultures that promote the opposite, having large families?

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: All fertility decisions should be made by individuals and couples. Many will choose to have smaller families for the sake of the environment, but this is contingent upon the availability of family planning education and services. There are still 350 million women who desire family planning, but lack access to such resources.

In almost every society women have not been allowed to participate in decision making or even have control over how many children they have. It is crucial that women be brought to the table, regardless of their religion or culture.

Baltimore, Md.: What were your key findings, and did you provide recommendations as to how to address the problems you identified? To whom were those recommendations directed?

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: Thanks, great question since it allows us to spout a lot of information (but will try and keep it short). One of our main findings is that gender equality and the status of women is a critical factor both in moving toward a world where the size of the human population stabilizes (as a result of people's choices, not coercion) as well as in good management of natural resources. A series of global agreements hammered out in the 1990s made these links as well, but progress in putting them into practice has been rather slow, due to shortfalls in funding, political will and technical expertise. But, at the same time, a number of programs have been launched at community levels in areas of high biodiversity around the world that link programs for reproductive health care, small business development or education with inputs that improve management of natural resources like water, soil and forests. And in most of them, gender equality and the full participation of women is an important goal and means of achieving program goals. So, we recommended that: 1) more such programs, and at larger scales, be launched in biodiversity-rich areas of the world; 2) that key international, national and local agencies increase their capacity to work across sectors (so environment experts working with gender experts; 3) encourage sustainable consumption patterns in all countries (especially in the industrialized world where our "ecological footprint" is very heavy); and encourage changes at policy levels (e.g. in national governments) that will make adoption of the recommendations possible.

Washington, D.C.: Are there model countries, or countries adopting model policies, around this issue?

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: There are many innovative programs that some countries and communities are adopting to improve women's status and preserve the environment. In Kenya, for instance, women have banded together to prevent deforestation and desertification. Called the Greenbelt movement, this effort includes 50,000 women members who have planted 20 million trees. According to Wangari Maathai, founder of the Greenbelt movement, planting trees provides people "a sense of taking their destiny into their own hands, removing their fear...{so women} can control the direction of their own lives."

Washington, D.C.: What specific recommendations did you make in the report? How can U.S. activists get involved?

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: On the recommendations, we've just answered that (below), but of course the participation of U.S. activists in these issues is welcome. A lot is going that others would certainly be welcome to join. Just a few examples: contacting elected officials to urge them to ensure that the U.S. government makes good on its commitments to fund reproductive health care, education programs for girls and respects women's reproductive rights in developing countries. Another action: supporting with time or money groups that are dedicated to increasing access to health care, improving women's status, or expanding the participation of women in natural resource management, both here and overseas (we note some of these in the chapter). Finally, watching our individual consumption patterns is also important (e.g., trying to make greener choices about food, fuel use, packaging, etc.)as is asking governments and businesses to make their resource use more sustainable.

Somewhere, USA: What is the situation with China and population control? Many women in rural areas had been forced (or they get heavily taxed) to have abortions and many young girls were not wanted. Now I hear there are more men then women and that it is very hard for men find a woman to marry. Is this true?

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: It is true that past policies in China advocated having only one child per couple. Today, however, many provinces have relaxed their policies (especially where the United Nations Population Fund--UNFPA--is working). The gender ratio has become skewed as a result of sex-selective abortion, which has created a challenging social situation. There have been isolated reports of "bride-kidnappings" by men in provinces that do not have a high population of women. Although the involvement of UNFPA has encouraged many provinces to move toward less coercive policies, the $34 million in U.S. funding for UNFPA was slashed by President Bush based on unsubstantiated claims of government coerced abortion.

Arlington, Va.: So, how would you propose that NGOs and governments assist women to increase their ability to manage and control natural resources? What are the major impediments to your proposals?

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: Well, increasingly governments and NGOs are paying more attention to this and international agreements call for it (for example Agenda 21, agreed at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, devotes a whole chapter to women and biodiversity -- the critical role the environment plays in women's daily lives and women's roles in managing resources). In the chapter, we outline some ways that conservation groups in particular are including gender realities in their work, both at headquarters and field levels. One of the ways they are doing this, that we support, is gender training for staff so that they are better-equipped to see the ways women and men use and control resources and how this affects biodiversity. Another is sharing information across groups on their experiences with gender and environment. Another is the use of tools, like gender analysis (which helps people understand how activities are determined by the traditional roles of women and men). It's also important for private groups and governments to make understanding gender and increasing women's participation in natural resource management priorities. This calls for new (or improved) policies and programs. The impediments are, in large measure, lack of funding, lack of expertise, lack of awareness of the importance of gender roles (although this is changing), or even just the barrier posed by the fact that people working in different fields often don't talk to each other on a regular basis. We do see interest in addressing these gaps and breaking down these barriers, which would mean more concerted action in the future.

Fairfax, Va.: Is there anything being done about the treatment of women in southeast Asia? Many young girls get sold into sex shops as a way to bring in money for their family. Anything being done about objectifying asian women and the sweatshops of young children in southeast asian countries!

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: This is a very troubling issue for sure that directly reflects the intersection of women's low status and power, and economic forces, well beyond women's control. As with all the gender-based problems we've been discussing, women in developing countries are taking action on their own behalf, or the behalf of women in their countries or communities. So there is a lot of activism going on at grassroots levels and in major cities around the sex trade. A number of international meetings have also been held on the issue as well, including on child prostitution and the sale of young girls and boys into the sex trade. Still, the problem persists. If you searched the Internet or publications about gender-based violence and exploitation, you could find information on some of the groups based in Asia that are working on this issue.

Danielle Nierenberg and Mia MacDonald: Thanks so much to all of you for your time and interest and the great questions. We really enjoyed the discussion a lot and hope that it was useful and interesting to you. What a great way for us to keep the spirit of International Women's Day going! We hope you'll check out our chapter and continue to learn more about the issues of gender, population and biodiversity.

Thanks again!

Danielle and Mia

washingtonpost.com: That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.

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