| As the world moves forward at a phenomenal speed with scientific and technological advancements, the environmental crisis is escalating at an alarming rate and there is a growing feeling that civil society must be consulted in environmental and developmental initiatives. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) include religious, traditional, farmers', women's, academic and professional, civic, microfinancing, rights claiming, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as trade unions. Women have a vital role in environmental management and development. Women are in the forefront of the race for protection and preservation of the resources. This paper will focus on the feminist interventions and activism to environmental protection and sustainable development. This paper also highlights several environmental movements spearheaded by feminist environmentalists both at the national and international level. Among the main environmental movements, Bishnoi's led by Amrita Devi to protect Khejadli (Prosopis cinraria) trees in Rajasthan, Chipko Movement in the Himalayas, Save the Narmada Movement (Narmada Bachao Andolan) in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat; the Appiko Movement in the Western Ghats, Save Silent Valley in Malabar region of South India and Kenya's Green Belt Movement are discussed. Most of the environmental movements have emerged in response to projects that threaten to dislocate people and to affect their basic human rights to land, water, and ecological stability of life-support systems. Roles played individually by Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Rachel Carson and Mrs. Brundtland for environmental protection are also discussed. |