African women conservation leaders

Source: SCB -Africa Section

Date: 28 September 2007

Author: Stephen Awoyemi

The Africa Section of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) presents a novel initiative aimed at highlighting the leadership abilities of African women in environmental conservation. This is based on the goal of the SCB Africa Section’s Young Women Conservation Biologists’ (YWCB) group, which is to advance career opportunities for young African women in conservation biology. It is expected that this initiative will stimulate increased public awareness and confidence in the competence of African women as conservation leaders.

Inspiring and thought-provoking essays are being solicited for a book profiling the outstanding achievements of African women conservationists working on the continent. A man or woman of any nationality may write the essay. We would like to receive profiles of African women conservationists making groundbreaking decisions and advances in their bid to conserve species, habitats and the environment on a local, national or continent wide scale. We’d particularly like to hear of those whose achievements have not been widely publicized.

Contributions are welcome from writers of any background: the biological or social sciences, law, anthropology, laypeople etc. Writing should be fluid and appeal to a broad and varied audience, emphasizing the woman’s work in biodiversity conservation. We hope to hear from those who are passionate about their role as women conservationists, or from those who know such a woman and value an opportunity to project their heroes to the world. The essays should imbue crucial lessons and paradigms and motivate prospective African women conservation leaders.

Essays are welcome in ENGLISH and/or FRENCH.

Interested persons should submit by 30 November 2007 to all three contacts below a one-page concept note motivating for a profile of a specified African woman conservation biologist. The concept note should provide a background (the personal circumstances and experiences that shape the leader's life e.g. ethnic and social origins, upbringing, education, and research/work experience) and rationale (reasons why the writer thinks she's a conservation leader and deserves to be profiled and projected to the world). The editors will select concept notes by 30 January 2008 for the development of maximum 2000-word essays, illustrated by two or more high-quality photographs of the women at work, by 30 June 2008.

Phoebe Barnard Stephen Awoyemi Camille Rebelo
barnard@sanbi.org awoyemi@tc-biodiversity.org camille.rebelo@yale.edu

For more information about YWCB and our objectives visit: http://www.conbio.org/sections/africa/ywcb