Championing women’s leadership in conservation for a more equitable and sustainable future

Worldwide, women are on the frontlines protecting and restoring natural resources. Yet they face systemic barriers to resource access, financial inclusion, and decision-making — challenges intensified by climate change. Gender equity for women and girls in conservation ensures they participate in, benefit from, and lead environmental stewardship efforts. Their inclusion strengthens community well-being, ecological resilience, and economic opportunities while shifting social norms for sustainability.

Rare integrates gender equity into conservation, advancing women’s financial resilience and leadership to drive lasting environmental and social impact.

How Rare advances gender equity and economic empowerment

Rare leverages behavioral and social science to shift mindsets and systems toward gender equity. To do this, we address the social norms, attitudes, behaviors, and systems that underlie inequity. Since the normative obstacles are many (e.g., the perception that women shouldn’t own property or control money and must depend on men for their livelihoods), Rare works with women, men, community leaders, and policymakers to drive inclusive change.

Below are examples of our work:

	Empower women to participate in natural resource management and decision-making Rare actively involves women in conservation management and decision-making processes, ensuring their voices are heard and their perspectives considered. We support inclusive and transparent resource management bodies and committees in fishing and farming communities, integrate gender-responsive research, training, and social marketing into conservation efforts, and collect sex-disaggregated data to recognize women’s contributions.
	Build women’s capacity to lead conservation efforts Rare provides training, education, and resources to empower women with the skills and knowledge needed to participate in and lead conservation efforts. This includes training in financial literacy, social marketing, behavior-centered design workshops, leadership development through Campaigning for Conservation, and expanding access to digital tools, networks, and platforms. Upcoming trainings
	Expand women’s financial inclusion and resilience Rare addresses women’s unique challenges and barriers in accessing natural resources and their benefits to ensure equitable distribution and outcomes. This includes providing access to banking, savings accounts, insurance, micro-loans, and financial services, supporting savings groups and microfinance to strengthen livelihoods, and offering financial literacy and business training to build resilience and independence. About Rare’s green & Blue finance priority About Rare’s Innovative Finance program

Explore our work promoting gender equity

Rare promotes gender equity by addressing the social norms, attitudes, behaviors and systems that perpetuate social inequity.