March 8th was the 100th International Women’s Day, “a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.”
Since the first International Women’s Day in 1911, women’s movements have made dramatic strides toward equality and justice. However, much remains to be done. Just as women continue to be underrepresented in positions of power, they disproportionately bear the burdens of environmental injustices. They are the ones who walk further to find clean water, who work harder to sustain gardens and farmlands, and who are most affected by natural and political disasters.
Madame Kommaly Chantavong was one of these women. At the age of 11, she was forced to flee from her village in eastern Laos when it was bombed by the United States. Walking hundreds of miles to the capital city, Vientiane, she carried little with her but her family’s traditions—her knowledge of raising silk worms, weaving, and dying silks.
In spite of her challenging beginnings, Madame Kommaly’s story is one of hope. The skills she carried across the mountains of Laos enabled her not only to provide for herself, but to expand employment—and with it, empowerment—to other women like her. In 1976, she founded a cooperative of women silk weavers that became Laos’s first fair trade operation. Today, the cooperative supports over 3,000 members.
Madame Kommaly’s desire to include others in her cooperative has translated into a concern for their impact on the environment. In 2007, Greengrants and its partner Samdhana supplied Madame Kommaly’s cooperative with a grant for $5,000 to expand production and increase sustainability. Instead of just making silk, Madame Kommaly began using leftover materials for a line of organic cosmetics and food products. Now, “only the squirm of the worm” isn’t being put to use.
Madame Kommaly’s story is part of a growing body of evidence that suggests when women are empowered, environments are protected and communities are strengthened. Stronger connections to the land, their families, and traditions make women vulnerable, but also put them in an ideal position for stewardship. International aid organizations, local nonprofits, and philanthropists alike are taking notice, and women are becoming the focus of many aid efforts.
“…human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights” – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, March 7, 2011
On this International Women’s Day, we recognize Madame Kommaly and all of our other grantees, partners, donors, and staff who are working for women’s rights. By giving women the tools they need to succeed, we are working towards a just and sustainable world.