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Mountain ecosystems have great impact on the whole world

19.12.2013

The directors of Active Remedy Ltd., Stella and Tara Joy, spoke at UN Women UK Corporate Advisory Group meeting on water and sanitation on 13 November 2013 in London, England, to call the attention of global business representatives to the great and critical impact mountains have on the whole world.

Outlining how mountain ecosystems are essential for the regulation of the global hydrological cycle and climate control, the two speakers urged recognition of mountains’ crucial importance and international actions. “We suggested that UN Women take part in setting a ball rolling for a global paradigm shift in which freshwater is recognized as central to all life processes and therefore the ecosystems, which maintain the cycle and which, it is utterly dependent upon to function effectively are protected and restored as a natural state of human responsibility,” said Stella Joy. “This is a much needed change of perspective as at present mountains are treated as a sideline issue, explained the NGO director, adding that as land is degraded, mountain communities are becoming more impoverished and some are having to migrate.

The two NGO directors emphasized the significant and essential roles that mountain communities, especially women, could play as protectors of the world’s freshwater sources. “This could be done through establishing global mountain reforestation initiatives and programmes,” said Stella Joy. “Co-operative-based village groups could be established for enabling local cottage industry and creating local, national and international green economies,” she explained, after having encouraged UN Women to consider supporting and implementing such schemes as ways of empowering women, establishing gender equality and tackling poverty eradication.

“We drew the interest of those present at the meeting in empowering mountain women as a grassroots approach in tackling these crucial far reaching issues,” she said.

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photo: Flickr/Proudfoottt