Trailblazers of Climate Week NYC: 4 Women Leading the Gender-Inclusive Charge

September 28, 2024 Daita Dasgupta Asia Pacific, Lifestyle, Press Release, US Local News, World 0

WCC climate leaders Natasha Zarine, Nidhi Pant, Heeta Lakhani and Sayesha Dogra have worked tirelessly to bring gender equity to the climate ecosystem Four trail-blazing climate champions from India are at the Climate Week NYC 2024. As part of the Women Climate Collective (WCC), Natasha Zarine, Nidhi Pant, Heeta Lakhani and Sayesha Dogra discussed inclusive and sustainable climate response actions at the prestigious annual event. Attendee Natasha Zarine is currently part of the 2024 cohort of the WCC and co-founder and managing director of EcoSattva Environmental Solutions and The Center for Applied Research and Peoples' Engagement. For over a decade, she has worked to create inclusive and sustainable waste management systems, wetland restoration and green-blue infrastructure to mitigate the heat island effect. In keeping with the theme of Climate Week, ‘It’s Time,' she emphasises on urgently needed, data-driven, scientific and nature-based solutions for climate-resilient spaces. Nidhi Pant, a WCC alumna and the winner of the Women Transforming India (WTI) Award, is the co-founder of Science for Society - S4S Technologies. She works at the intersection of agriculture, gender, energy access and financial inclusion. At S4S Technologies, she helps convert farm losses and wastes to value-added products for the F&B Industry, increasing farmer incomes, and mitigating food waste as well as CO2 emissions. Another WCC luminary Heeta Lakhani is the founder and director of the ClimAct Foundation and mentors change-makers who can combat climate crises with knowledge-based action. She has also co-founded the Youth Negotiators Academy, where youth are trained to be effective negotiators in the UN intergovernmental processes. Sayesha Dogra has strived consistently to demystify climate concepts with holistic solutions as the force behind the weekly publication Anticlimactic. She is the founder and CEO of The Climate Party, an inclusive platform encouraging the exchange of ideas as well as synergistic partnerships within India’s climate ecosystem. As a sustainability consultant, mentor, and speaker, Sayesha also offers guidance to budding climate champions who want to create positive change. The four dynamic achievers are at the Climate Week NYC 2024, from September 22 to 29 in New York, and also interact with business leaders, political change-makers, and civil society representatives from around the world.

WCC climate leaders Natasha Zarine, Nidhi Pant, Heeta Lakhani and Sayesha Dogra have worked tirelessly to bring gender equity to the climate ecosystem

Four trail-blazing climate champions from India are attending Climate Week NYC 2024. As part of the Women Climate Collective (WCC), Natasha Zarine, Nidhi Pant, Heeta Lakhani, and Sayesha Dogra discussed inclusive and sustainable climate response actions at the prestigious annual event.

Attendee Natasha Zarine is currently part of the 2024 cohort of the WCC and co-founder and managing director of EcoSattva Environmental Solutions and The Center for Applied Research and Peoples’ Engagement. For over a decade, she has worked to create inclusive and sustainable waste management systems, as well as wetland restoration and green-blue infrastructure to mitigate the heat island effect. In keeping with the theme of Climate Week, ‘It’s Time,’ she emphasises on urgently needed, data-driven, scientific and nature-based solutions for climate-resilient spaces.

See Also:  From Lindsay Lohan to Suki Waterhouse; here's how celeb moms celebrated their first Mother's Day!

Nidhi Pant, a WCC alumna and the winner of the Women Transforming India (WTI) Award, is the co-founder of Science for Society—S4S Technologies. She works at the intersection of agriculture, gender, energy access, and financial inclusion. At S4S Technologies, she helps convert farm losses and wastes to value-added products for the F&B Industry, increasing farmer incomes and mitigating food waste and CO2 emissions.

Another WCC luminary, Heeta Lakhani, is the founder and director of the ClimAct Foundation. She mentors change-makers who can combat climate crises with knowledge-based action. She has also co-founded the Youth Negotiators Academy, where youth are trained to be effective negotiators in the UN intergovernmental processes.

As the force behind the weekly publication Anticlimactic, Sayesha Dogra has consistently strived to demystify climate concepts with holistic solutions. She is the founder and CEO of The Climate Party, an inclusive platform encouraging the exchange of ideas and synergistic partnerships within India’s climate ecosystem. As a sustainability consultant, mentor, and speaker, Sayesha guides budding climate champions who want to create positive change.

See Also:  The US Department of Treasury Releases CFIUS Enforcement and Penalty Guidelines

The four dynamic achievers will attend Climate Week NYC 2024 from September 22 to 29 in New York and interact with business leaders, political change-makers, and civil society representatives from around the world.

Related Stories:

Driving Change: Meet the 20 Women Leaders in Climate Action”Empowering Women Leaders: WCC’s 2024 Climate Action Cohort Schools must treat inclusive learning as normative,” says Rajesh BhatiaSchools must treat inclusive learning as normative,” says Rajesh BhatiaSchools must treat inclusive learning as normative, says Rajesh Bhatia Bridge and trees reflecting in calm river in daytimeBreaking Into The Green Economy: Essential Skills For Climate Jobs Aaditya Thackeray hosts climate action champions, says planning airport in PalgharAaditya Thackeray hosts climate action champions, says planning airport in Palghar International Day of Rural Women (October 15): Breaking The Generational Cycle: Five Inspiring Women Driving Change in Rural India Dolly Sarpanch, Roshni Perween, Mausam Kumari, Rohini Patnaik, and Varsha Raikwar are blazing new trails for other women to follow In a report this year, the World Bank has stated that even though women constitute half of India's population, their benefits from the country's economic prosperity remain disproportionately affected. In rural India, women face unequal access to education, acute gender discrimination fuelled by patriarchal control over their lives, are often pushed into early marriage and have limited overall agency. Lack of employment opportunities, gender restrictions, domestic work, and childcare responsibilities clip their wings and restrict them to conventional roles. However, some women are changing this narrative and showing how to break new ground. They are not only contributing to the rural economy but also changing social dynamics within their communities. Hailing from different parts of India, these women are standing up to counter gender bias in climate action, opposing child marriage, and challenging social stigma and prejudices in the heart of rural India through their brave initiatives. Dolly Sarpanch As a two-time woman Sarpanch in Bihar's Gaya district, Dolly wants to encourage greater women's involvement in policy-making processes and is challenging societal norms that associate seats of power with men. She has petitioned the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in Bihar to issue directives to penalise government employees who promote the 'Sarpanch Pati Culture' in Bihar. Her demand is clear: those found supporting male representation on behalf of elected women representatives must face consequences. She has also fought gender discrimination herself, and with the help of Nguvu Collective, an organisation actively working towards empowering change leaders from marginalised communities, she aims to spread awareness about the power of women leaders. Roshni Perween A resident of Kishanganj, Bihar, Roshni is a survivor of child marriage. A Muslim woman from the Surajpuri community, she is now a fierce advocate of women's empowerment and wants to bring change in a community where illiteracy and child marriage is rampant. The Change Leader has garnered significant backing from Nguvu Collective, for her efforts to prevent multiple child marriages within her village. Roshni has embarked on a journey of digital advocacy by initiating an online petition aiming to put an end to child marriage in the Seemanchal region of Bihar by 2024. Mausam Kumari Since 2016, Mausam has held a leadership position within a Kishori Samooh (Adolescent Group) in Bihar, where she actively champions the cause of adolescent health. Recognizing the urgent need for menstrual hygiene, she mobilised her group to collectively procure and distribute sanitary pads with the support of the Population Foundation of India. Mausam also highlighted crucial concerns during a meeting with Bihar Health Minister and Executive Director, of State Health Society Bihar, including the lack of information on adolescent health and the unavailability of sanitary pads for economically disadvantaged girls. Consequently, an adolescent health corner was set up at the Sub-Divisional Hospital in Rajauli. Trained ANMs now offer counseling services, representing a significant stride in meeting the healthcare requirements of adolescents, especially girls, in Bihar. Rohini Patnaik Rohini Patnaik is inspired by the nutritional richness of millet, one of India's oldest staple foods. The leader of a self-help group (SHG), Patnaik decided to establish a 'millets cafe' to bring the goodness of this wholesome grain to the larger community of rural Raipur. Empowered by Transform Rural India (TRI), designers of development solutions that work on bringing equal opportunities to rural areas, she founded this cafe which quickly captured the hearts of Raipur's residents with its diverse and delicious offerings. Its resounding success also drew the attention of Prime Minister Modi, who visited and lauded it. Varsha Raikwar Varsha is much more than a vibrant radio jockey from Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh. Having experienced first-hand how conversations about climate change often exclude women, she now passionately strives to inspire more women to volunteer and join initiatives related to climate action. For Varsha, inclusivity marks the starting point for any kind of lasting change in rural India, and she is wholeheartedly committed to helping women with solutions in resource management and eco-friendly choices. Guided by the Women Climate Collective (WCC), she is also a proud United Nations Young Climate Leader (2021) and organises street plays and seminars to spread awareness about climate issues.Meet 5 Women from Rural India Who Are Changing the Narrative  Inspiring Women Reshaping the Tech LandscapeInspiring Women Reshaping the Tech Landscape  International Women's Day 2023: Bringing Gender Equality to the ForefrontInternational Women’s Day 2023: Bringing Gender Equality to the Forefront Empowering Voices: Four Nguvu Change Leaders Combating Gender-Based Violence Around the WorldEmpowering Voices: Four Nguvu Change Leaders Combating Gender-Based Violence Around the World
About Daita Dasgupta 216 Articles
Daita Dasgupta is a graduate student pursuing a Master's degree in Media Science. She has over three years of experience working as a content writer for various platforms. Daita has a flair for writing engaging and creative content that resonates with audiences. Currently, she is interning as a content writer at Panasiabiz, where she is applying her writing skills and experience. When she's not writing, Daita enjoys reading fiction, listening to music, and spending time with family and friends. She believes content writing allows her to be creative while also sharing valuable information with others. Daita is constantly working to improve her craft and produce the most insightful and impactful content possible.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.