In southern Morocco, an argan oil cooperative union has empowered 1,200 women with stable jobs and financial independence, improving gender equality and household wellbeing in rural areas. These cooperatives also support environmental sustainability by promoting new approaches to managing argan tree forests.

This year’s World Elephant Day celebrates the matriarch, the ‘elder stateswoman’ of the herd. They hold a pivotal role in elephant society, guiding their family groups to vital resources and shaping their responses to potential threats. A matriarch’s ability to make sound decisions, especially during stressful times, significantly enhances the group’s chances of survival.

Older persons in Myanmar are caught in a terrible cycle of targeted violence and arbitrary detention. They are not incidental victims but are being deliberately singled out - be it for perceived political affiliations or simple their inherent vulnerabilities making them easy targets. Mobility issues, health conditions, and cultural ties make them unable or unwilling to flee - where would / could they go? - turning them into prime targets for military persecution ... or worse…

Indigenous Peoples represent around six per cent of the world's population, and their knowledge and traditions are believed to help solve many of today’s challenges in the areas of climate action and biodiversity. As keepers of knowledge that help safeguard some of the most biodiverse areas of our planet, and as guardians of the environment, their survival is our survival.