Celebrating International Women’s Day: Recognizing Women in Waste

About this Event

Across the globe women play critical roles in local waste systems. It’s estimated that over half of all plastics collected globally—and diverted from entering the ocean—are collected by informal waste collectors, the majority of whom are women. Beyond waste collectors, women in low- to middle-income countries also work in or own small recycling centers, junkshops, and upcycling enterprises. Despite their crucial contributions, women’s work is often unrecognized and under-resourced. They face gendered structural barriers that limit their earning power and opportunities for upward mobility. Women often have limited access to credit, training, and time, which leads to working in the informal waste sector where they receive lower wages, fewer health and safety protections, and are at heightened risk of gender-based violence.

In honor of International Women’s Day, the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Clean Cities, Blue Ocean—the Agency’s flagship program to address ocean plastic pollution under the Save our Seas Initiative—is hosting a webinar to highlight the importance of women in sustainable waste management and spotlight some of the women championing this effort. Our presenters will share their personal experiences—from around the world—why an inclusive and equitable waste system is vital to the health of our communities and our environment.

Clean Cities, Blue Ocean invites you to join us and our partners on Wednesday, March 8 at 8:00 EST (March 8 at 21:00 UTC+8) to learn more about gender integration in the waste sector.

This webinar will be delivered in English, with closed captioning available in Bahasa Indonesian, Filipino, Spanish, and Vietnamese. 

Register for the webinar and learn more about the featured speakers.

Featuring:

  • Georgia Hartmann, USAID, Senior Gender Advisor for Environment and Climate
  • Laurie Krieger, Ph.D. Social and Behavior Change and Gender Director, USAID Clean Cities, Blue Ocean
  • Arianne Olegario, WWEE Deputy Manager and Gender Specialist, USAID Clean Cities, Blue Ocean 
  • Antoinette Taus, Founder & Executive Director, CORA; UN Goodwill Ambassador
  • Maria Tsakona, Task Force Leader, ISWA’s Women of Waste Taskforce
  • Georgina Nitzsche, Task Force Coordinator, ISWA’s Women of Waste Taskforce