Women, Leadership, and the Future of Our Planet

International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 each year to recognize the achievements, leadership, and contributions of women across every sector of society and around the globe. It is also a moment to reflect on the ongoing challenges women face and the work that remains to achieve gender equality. The day highlights how empowering women strengthens communities, economies, and movements for justice everywhere.

This year’s conversations around International Women’s Day emphasize the connections between women’s leadership and broader global challenges, including climate change, democracy, and social justice. Many Leaders argue that investing in women and supporting their leadership expands the capacity of movements working toward a durable and inclusive path forward.  

To explore these connections more deeply, EARTHDAY.ORG President Kathleen Rogers spoke with Rachel O’Leary Carmona, Executive Director of the Women’s March. Their conversation focuses on how women’s leadership strengthens movements for environmental justice, democracy, and community resilience. They discuss the ways climate change, gender equality, and social justice intersect, and how collective action — led by women and communities — can help build a more sustainable and equitable future.

Q: Could you introduce yourself and tell us about the work you’re doing?

Of course. My name is Rachel O’Leary Carmona. I’m the Executive Director of the Women’s March, and I’m really happy to be here today. I’m very interested in talking about the interconnectedness of feminism, women’s rights, and climate justice, and what environmental justice looks like.

Sometimes people question why the Women’s March talks about environmental issues and ask why we’re out of our lane. But this is very much our lane, so I’m happy to talk more about why that connection exists.

Q: The theme for International Women’s Day reminds us that investing in women strengthens communities and societies as a whole. From your perspective, how does supporting women’s leadership expand the capacity of movements working for justice, democracy, climate action, and public health?

I’ve been thinking a lot about how we build power and what actually wins for movements. It’s not a secret that there have been troubling rollbacks on women’s rights all across the world, certainly here in our own communities. At the same time, we’re seeing a troubling rise of authoritarianism and challenges to democracy.

When we talk about these issues, one of the underlying forces shaping them is climate. Climate disasters are driving many of the challenges we face today. For example, when we think about migration, some of it is related to social policy and foreign policy decisions. But what we will increasingly see is migration driven by climate disasters.

At the same time, our country is facing many challenges—threats to democracy, global conflict, and extreme weather events. We recently saw an ice storm where we were unable to mobilize the resources necessary to support the people who needed help most. The people who are hardest hit by climate disasters are often women and families. Women and children are the most affected during disasters and war. Because of this, one of the most important things we can do is invest in communities by investing in women and children, supporting peace-building efforts, and building sustainable economies that move us toward climate justice.

Often when people talk about International Women’s Day or women’s rights, they assume the conversation will focus on issues like abortion or maternal mortality. Those are important issues, but climate change should also be at the forefront of what we’re talking about.

Climate disasters displace people, destabilize communities, and create new political and legal challenges. That impact is growing every year.

Q: With so many overlapping crises today, what do you see as the most urgent opportunity for action?

I don’t think there’s a single answer. One of the challenges is that women don’t really have the luxury of single-issue thinking. For example, you might have a mother in Flint dealing with water contamination, wage theft, and childcare at the same time. The issues people face are complex and interconnected.

To mobilize people, movements often try to simplify issues. But the reality is that the issues we face are not simple. Large mobilizing moments like the Women’s March play an important role. The Women’s March was the largest single-day mobilization in the United States. But I also think a lot about what happens after the march.

Traditionally, movements bring people into the streets and then try to absorb them into organizations. That builds membership organizations, which are important. But many of our community institutions have weakened. People aren’t joining membership organizations, churches, or unions the way they once did. Without those spaces, we lose places where people can practice democracy together.

Q: What changes do movements need to make to strengthen participation?

We need to find ways to practice democracy and build relationships with one another. One approach is bringing the movement to people rather than expecting them to come to us. That means creating decentralized networks where communities can organize themselves.

We’ve seen examples of this in places like Minneapolis, where community groups built decentralized organizing structures around issues of safety and justice. This approach requires trusting people and letting go of some of the control organizations traditionally hold over messaging or branding. It means building a movement that belongs to everyday people, not only professional activists.

Movements are more sustainable when they become part of people’s daily lives rather than something that happens only during major political moments.

Q: How do you see women shaping a sustainable future while also benefiting from a green economy?

Research consistently shows that when women lead, leadership tends to be more democratic, inclusive, and community-focused. People often think of those qualities as soft skills, but they’re actually essential for building sustainable systems.

When we think about change, we have to remember that the unit of change is an individual person. We also can’t bring about a new future without changing the inputs that shape it. That means the way we pursue change matters just as much as the outcomes we want to achieve.

Issues like climate justice, bodily autonomy, immigration, and economic inequality are deeply interconnected. In places like Texas, where I live, policy decisions about reproductive rights, healthcare access, and immigration all intersect with broader political and economic systems.

Ultimately, a very small number of powerful individuals are making decisions that affect billions of people. Women’s leadership is essential in challenging those structures and building more inclusive systems.

Q: How does the women’s movement influence environmental protection and climate justice?

Women play a crucial role within communities, especially when systems fail. There’s a sociologist named Jessica Calarco who argues that many countries have social safety nets, but the United States often relies on women as the safety net. I think that’s true in many communities.

When systems break down, women organize mutual aid networks and support their neighbors. They help communities share resources and respond to crises. These contributions are often invisible, but they are incredibly important. For example, during climate disasters, women frequently organize neighborhood responses—sharing supplies, offering shelter, and coordinating recovery efforts. Organizations like Organizing Resilience also help fill the gaps when disaster response systems fall short. Groups like the Women’s March often help fundraise to support these community efforts.

Women play both visible roles in leadership and policy, and invisible roles in building the social infrastructure that keeps communities functioning.

Q: As we recognize International Women’s Day and look ahead to Earth Day, what message would you share about the role women can play in building hope for the future?

I would say two things: first, hope is a discipline. I go to the gym a lot. When you work out, you don’t see immediate results every day. You just have to stay committed to the habit and the discipline. Hope works the same way. You have to stay committed to it even when you don’t see immediate progress. Social media often thrives on negativity and doom-scrolling. That environment encourages people to abandon discipline and focus on discouraging narratives. Instead, we need emotional discipline and a clear commitment to the work we’re trying to do.

Second, take action where you are. You don’t need to come in like a hero and save the day. That’s not how change happens. Real change happens through contributions. Be where your feet are. Take action in your community and contribute in whatever ways you can. Make your contribution and practice the discipline of hope.

As we recognize the leadership and impact of women this International Women’s Day, it is also an opportunity to highlight the power of collaboration. Partnerships between organizations reflect a shared belief that lasting environmental progress happens when communities, sectors, and generations work together. Around the world, women are leading efforts to protect ecosystems, strengthen communities, and advocate for policies that safeguard both people and the planet. Their leadership shows that meaningful change often begins at the community level, where individuals organize, educate, and inspire others to act.

The spirit of collective action is central to Earth Day 2026 and its theme, Our Power, Our Planet. The campaign highlights how people everywhere — from classrooms and local neighborhoods to national institutions — can help drive environmental progress through education, advocacy, and community engagement.

Photo credit: Stephanie Keith | Women’s March