By Jesse Ese
National News – Niger Delta women under the auspices of the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), Women Initiative for Values Empowerment and Sustainability International (WIVES Int’l), alongside other stakeholders and development partners, have joined the global community in celebrating the 2026 World Environment Day, calling for urgent action to eliminate discriminatory laws and ensure equal access to resources for women.
The women made the call during activities marking this year’s World Environment Day, observed annually on June 5 to raise awareness and promote action on critical environmental challenges facing the world.
This year’s theme focuses on climate action and the need for societies to strengthen their relationship with nature while building a sustainable future. The campaign highlights the growing threat of climate change and emphasizes collective responsibility in protecting ecosystems, reducing environmental degradation, and promoting sustainable development.
Speaking at the event held in Warri, Delta State, Ambassador Mrs. Tonbra Kilopirite-Kasikoro, National Woman Leader of MOSIEND and Convener of the women groups, underscored the significance of World Environment Day and the crucial role women play in environmental conservation and sustainable development.
She noted that women, particularly those in rural communities, are among the most affected by environmental degradation, climate change, flooding, erosion, and pollution, yet they continue to face barriers in accessing land, finance, technology, and other productive resources.
According to her, globally, many rural women are still restricted from owning or inheriting the land they cultivate, a situation that undermines their economic empowerment and limits their capacity to contribute meaningfully to environmental sustainability and food security.
Mrs. Kilopirite-Kasikoro stressed that empowering women through equal access to land ownership, education, environmental decision-making processes, and economic opportunities would significantly enhance efforts to combat climate change and achieve sustainable development goals.
She called on governments, policymakers, corporate organizations, civil society groups, and development partners to intensify advocacy for gender-responsive environmental policies and the removal of all forms of discrimination against women.
The MOSIEND Woman Leader further emphasized that environmental protection and gender equality are interconnected, noting that communities thrive when women are empowered to participate fully in resource management and environmental governance.
She urged citizens to embrace environmentally friendly practices, including tree planting, proper waste management, pollution control, conservation of biodiversity, and the protection of natural ecosystems for future generations.
The stakeholders also highlighted the environmental challenges confronting the Niger Delta region, particularly oil pollution, gas flaring, deforestation, coastal erosion, and the loss of livelihoods among local communities. They called for stronger commitments from both government and industry players toward environmental restoration and sustainable resource management in the region.
The celebration concluded with a renewed commitment by participating organizations to continue advocating for environmental justice, climate resilience, and women’s inclusion in environmental governance, in line with the objectives of the 2026 World Environment Day.
World Environment Day, established by the United Nations in 1972, remains the world’s largest environmental awareness campaign, mobilizing governments, organizations, and citizens across more than 150 countries to take action for the protection of the planet and future generations.
