EcoFeminist legends Vandana Shiva, Farida Akhter, and Susan Hawthorne have highlighted the role of women in the ecological movement throughout their lives. In this episode of the FiLiA podcast, they join FiLiA Volunteers Salonika and Eugenie, to discuss how environmental destruction is based on the patriarchal mindset, from the language we use to the way we relate to the natural world. The relationship between ecocide, genocide, colonialism and patriarchy is highlighted. The discussion covers the Great Reset of the World Economic Forum, surrogacy, sexual assault, transgender ideology, the sex trade and how women are the first to be impacted by ecological destruction.

Sharing their experiences in the ecofeminist movement. They discuss non-patriarchal societies, indigenous knowledge, and the transgenerational relationship between women. Also how, by remembering our relation with Mother Earth and each other, women can reconnect with the land, and build sisterhood and solidarity to fight back against both patriarchy and ecocide.

Listen to the audio here (or scroll down to watch the video replay):

Vandana Shiva is a physicist, ecologist, feminist, activist, and author of numerous books. She is the founder of Navdanya, a movement for biodiversity conservation and farmers’ rights. She is also the founder and director of the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Natural Resource Policy. In 1993, she received the Right Livelihood Award, commonly known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize.” Other awards include the Order of the Golden Ark, Global 500 Award of the UN, Earth Day International Award, the Lennon Ono Grant for Peace, and the Sydney Peace Prize 2010.

Farida Akhter is a women’s movement activist and a leading exponent of biodiversity-based ecological agriculture. She is campaigning against the harmful, unethical, deceptive and coercive introduction of GM crops in Bangladesh since the late 1990s both. She writes regularly in Bangla and English language in national daily newspapers. Farida Akhter is the Executive Director of UBINIG (Policy Research for Development Alternative), and one of the key organisers of Nayakrishi Andolon (New Agricultural Movement). She is also the founder of Narigrantha Prabartana (Women’s Resource Centre), Organiser of Coalition Against Bt. Brinjal in Bangladesh, a leading member of United Women’s Front, and Convenor of Women’s Alliance against Tobacco (TABINAJ).

Susan Hawthorne is an Australian writer, poet, political commentator and publisher. She has been involved in the women‘s Liberation Movement since 1973, and soon after she joined the Melbourne Rape Crisis Centre. She has worked in Aboriginal education, taught English to Arabic-speaking women and worked with unemployed youth. She is the author of Wild Politics: Feminism, Globalisation and Biodiversity (2002)and Vortex: The Crisis of Patriarchy (2020) as well as poetry and fiction that highlights ecological and feminist issues. With Renate Klein, she co-founded Spinifex Press in 1991.