International Women's Day: How Can Gender Justice Shape a Sustainable Future?
On this International Women’s Day, we highlight the urgent need for gender justice in the global shift towards sustainable lifestyles. Women are often the primary drivers of consumer decision-making, they can shape markets and drive demand for sustainability. Yet, too often, policies and practices fail to recognise their unique challenges and contributions.
As we approach World Consumer Rights Day on 15 March, under the theme A Just Transition to Sustainable Lifestyles, we reaffirm that consumer rights and gender equality must go hand in hand in the pursuit of a sustainable future.
Women drive nearly 80% of household spending globally. From the 350 million female consumers in Africa, who influence over 70% of the continent’s consumer spend, to women aged 55+ controlling 75% of household spending in the US, their purchasing power shapes markets. Yet, policies often fail to reflect these gender-specific patterns, leaving significant gaps in consumer protection and sustainability efforts.
During next week’s Sustainable Lifestyles Summit, we will be hosting a critical discussion on Gender Justice in the Shift to Sustainable Lifestyles - bringing together leading experts, international organisations, and consumer advocates to address these gaps.
Ahead of the session, we share some key discussion points from a few of our panellists:
1. Breaking Down Barriers to Sustainable Choices
Women face economic disparities, caregiving responsibilities, limited access to information, and a lack of access to affordable eco-friendly options. Claudia Collado, President of Consumer Action, ADELCO, highlights the challenge:
"The barriers different genders face in accessing sustainable products and practices include economic inequalities, unpaid caregiving roles, limited access to information, consumption stereotypes, and the high prices of eco-friendly products."
We need policies that make sustainable living more affordable, accessible and available, ensuring that women—who drive the majority of household spending—are empowered to make greener choices.
2. The Role of Gender-Responsive Policies
For sustainability efforts to be effective, they must be built on data that acknowledges gender-specific needs. Claudia Vaccarone, Inclusion Strategy Advisor:
"For sustainability initiatives to be truly inclusive, businesses and policymakers must ground their strategies in gender-disaggregated data-driven consumer insights, acknowledging the diverse needs and barriers different groups face. Gender-responsive policies must be intentionally articulated together with women, to ensure they are not left behind in the transition to sustainable lifestyles."
By ensuring that women’s voices are included in decision-making, we can design policies that work for everyone—not just a select few.
3. A Right to Safe and Transparent Products
Consumers have the right to know what’s in the products they use every day. Sascha Gabizon, Executive Director of Women Engage for a Common Future, calls for greater accountability:
"On 8 March, International Women’s Day, we need to stand up for our 'right to know' - we demand that there are no harmful substances in the products we consume. We do not want ‘forever chemicals’, ‘hormone-disrupting chemicals’, mercury, or microplastics in products – especially not in products marketed specifically at women and girls, such as cosmetics and fashion."
As the world moves towards a more sustainable future, ensuring that consumer protection frameworks account for gender differences is critical.
