Global Roundup: Ecuador Women Save Blue Crab, Catalonia Free Reusable Menstrual Products, 1st US Trans Voting Centre, Nepal Women Climb Everest for Climate Change, Kenya Widows Mangrove Restoration
Curated by FG Contributor Inaara Merani
Johis Alarcón/Cimarrona with the support of National Geographic Society. (BBC)
For Afro-descendant Esmeraldans who live on the emerald coast of Ecuador, the blue crab is an intrinsic part of the culture, however it is beginning to go extinct. In order to protect their food heritage and culture, a group of women in the community are saving the blue crabs, and the mangroves that the creatures live in.
The province of Esmeraldas in Ecuador gets its name from the abundance of greenery in its humid, tropical forests. Esmeraldans have described the relationship between human society and the mangrove ecosystem as reciprocal, as the mangroves provide services to the community in exchange for protection. However, between 25 to 90 percent of the Ecuadorian mangroves have been decimated due to deforestation, intensive shrimp farming, and pollution; this has impacted both the plant and animal life in the Esmereldas.
In this province, Esmeraldan women have been gathering shells and crabs in the mangroves for generations. The patrimonies practice is part of the cultural heritage, and many Esmeraldan women depend on this practice for their way of life. As the crabs are on the brink of disappearing, so too is part of the collective identity of Esmeraldans.
To combat the decline of the blue crabs, Luna Creciente, an organization in the north of Esmeraldas and the Union of Peasant Organizations of Esmeraldas of Ecuador (UOCE), a southern organization, have brought their efforts together to support the Esmeraldan community. The two groups have been working with Esmeraldan women, such as Amada Cortez Caicedo, to raise awareness about the importance of adhering to biannual seasonal harvesting bans on blue crabs, which prevent the capture, transportation, possession, processing, and marketing of the crabs. These national bans take place between January and February, when the crab’s pre-courtship and mating occurs, and then again between August and September during the crab’s growth period.
Esmeraldan women have worked closely with these organizations and with their communities for years to keep the blue crabs alive through sustainable and traditional harvesting practices. As knowledge keepers of their oral tradition, they are passing down the Esmeraldan practices and are hopeful about what the future holds for the Esmeraldas and the blue crabs.
A pharmacist in Barcelona, Spain, shows a menstrual cup to Helena Herranz, an 18-year-old student. Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters. (The Guardian)
Pharmacies in the Catalonia region in Spain have begun to provide free, reusable menstrual cups, period underwear, and cloth pads. In one of the first initiatives of its kind in the world, the programme seeks to reduce period poverty in the nation.
In Catalonia, there is limited availability of menstrual products due to the cost, lack of washing facilities, or lack of education. These factors can lead to girls and women skipping school or work and heightens the risk of infection and toxic shock syndrome. According to Catalan authorities, women could spend up to €2500 on menstrual products in their lifetime, but opting for reusable products could reduce that cost to €145.
The initiative, which launched on Monday in the north-eastern region, will support an estimated 2.5 million people who will now be able to find the products at more than 3300 pharmacies. This measure also aims to reduce more than 9000 tonnes of waste that is generated annually in Catalonia by menstrual product use.
Providing free and reusable menstrual products in Catalonia was made possible in 2022, when Spain passed a law which stipulated that menstrual products should be distributed for free at schools, prisons, women’s healthcare facilities, and other public institutions. The government is hopeful that this will support women of all backgrounds to take care of their menstrual health, and will open up the discussion about this issue more.
This affects all women - those who fortunately can still afford it and those who cannot. – Ester Miralles, civil servant who said that the problem would have been addressed much earlier if men menstruated
(Connie Norman Empowerment Center)
Los Angeles made history this week after West Hollywood’s Connie Norman Transgender Empowerment Center (CONOTEC) became the first trans-centred facility to become a polling place in the US. Anyone is free to vote at the centre, however the mission of this polling place is to provide a safe space for trans, non-binary, and LGBTQ+ community members.
The voting location opened between Saturday and Tuesday, serving as an official polling place for the Presidential primary election. It will remain open for a number of other municipal and special elections, and will also act as a polling place for the general election in November.
CONOTEC calls itself the first facility of its kind of the US which serves trans and non-binary individuals and communities. The centre is also home to a number of trans-led advocacy and service organizations, including FLUX, TransCanWork, the Unique Women’s Coalition, and others.
In the US currently, trans voters can encounter a number of obstacles when trying to cast their ballots, particularly when confirming their identity with a piece of ID. While some states do not require individuals to show ID when voting, many states do, and this can be a difficult challenge to overcome. As California does not require voters to show identification, this centre will serve to alleviate community members’ anxieties both in LA and across the nation.
As extremists across the country continue their endless attacks on both the LGBT community and our democracy, Los Angeles must stand as a beacon of hope. I want to thank CONOTEC for opening this voting Center and for the critical work they do every day to support the needs of the Los Angeles transgender and nonbinary community. – Katy Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles City Councilmember
30 Women, Including Miss Nepal, March to Everest Base Camp for Climate AWareness. (BNN)
On International Women’s Day, a group of 30 women from across Nepal will climb throughout the Mount Everest region to highlight how climate change is impacting Nepalese society, particularly the melting of the Himalayan glacier which has dire impacts on local communities.
In just six decades, the 79 glaciers surrounding Mount Everest have thinned by over 100 meters. The loss of snow creates reduced meltwater in rivers, which poses a serious threat to mountain communities that depend on fresh water from these glaciers. The melting of these glaciers will also impact the sea levels, and over time, this will likely be detrimental for humans.
The group of women participating in this climb is a diverse representation of women in Nepal. There are politicians and activists, as well as Miss Nepal World Srichchha Pradhan. Aligned with the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress’, the bringing together of women from different sectors emphasizes the pivotal role that women have in climate action, and the intersection between climate change and women’s empowerment.
On March 8, the team will meet at Kalapatthar (a famous spot which has a clear view of Mount Everest) for a special gathering in order to raise awareness about the consequences of climate change in the Everest region, as well as the challenges faced by the mountain communities. The group also plans to march in the Everest region, engaging in rallies and interactions with local villages along the way.
Second Lady Dorcas Rigathi (carrying a woven bag) joins Kilifi women in a jig at Gede Primary School on February 27, 2024. She launched a programme that will engage Kilifi widows in mangrove restoration for their economic empowerment through carbon credit. Photo credit: Photo I OSDP. (Nation Media Group)
There are over 4 million widows in Kenya, many of whom lack the means to sustainably meet the needs of their families. This creates challenges such as losing familial inheritance, discrimination, and traditional practices which can include cleansing rites and sexual violence. With many children and no other support, widows can sometimes struggle to support their children’s health, educational, or social needs.
Recognizing the challenges that Kenyan widows endure, Second Lady Dorcas Rigathi launched a program in Nairobi, Kilifi, and Migori to increase widows’ self-reliance to help them support their familial needs. She says that she began working with widows during her days at Kenyatta University, and her passion for supporting widows was from being brought up by her mother, who was a widow for many years.
In Kilifi, more than 700 widows will have the opportunity to restore mangrove forests. In Migori, over 600 widows will be involved in sweet potato farming and processing. And in Nairobi, the Second Lady’s programme has been running for seven months, in which widows have received empowerment training in entrepreneurship and environmental conservation. They are now creating a 300,000-tree nursery, and have already planted 100,000 seedlings. While they gain valuable work experience and meaningful training, the women will also be compensated for their work in each of these schemes, allowing them to support their families financially.
Many of the women involved in the programme in Nairobi have said that it has been an eye-opener, as it has not only become a source of income, but a source of livelihood as well.
Inaara Merani (she/her) recently completed her Masters degree at the University of Western Ontario, studying Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies with a specialization in Transitional Justice. In the upcoming years, she hopes to attend law school, focusing her career in human rights law.
Inaara is deeply passionate about dismantling patriarchal institutions to ensure women and other marginalized populations have safe and equal access to their rights. She believes in the power of knowledge and learning from others, and hopes to continue to learn from others throughout her career.