At the IUCN World Conservation Congress, the Dominican Republic became the fifth country to sign the Women Ocean Guardians commitment – joining Germany, the United Kingdom, Grenada, and Costa Rica in a growing global movement to elevate coastal women’s leadership in ocean conservation and governance.
“The Dominican Republic recognizes the importance of promoting women’s leadership in ocean conservation, and I am living proof of the coherence and commitment our nation demonstrates in this regard, as I am the first woman appointed as Director of the National System of Protected Areas, it is an honor for me that the Dominican Republic, through its Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, joins these efforts to recognize and uplift the work of the many women who have long contributed to ocean conservation—often unseen within systems and decision-making spaces”, says Carolina Alba Ferreras.
Representing the Women Ocean Guardians frontliners in Abu Dhabi was Saily Hernández Quinde, a marine protected area administrator from Ecuador that has been deeply engaged in advancing the expansion of coastal marine protected areas and its effective management through leading inclusive processes.
“As a Women Ocean Guardian from Ecuador, I grew up by the sea as the daughter of artisanal fishers and became an MPA administrator. Through the Women Ocean Guardians initiative, I realized I was not alone — I overcame my fear of sharing challenges and discovered the power of sharing strengths. Today, I am proud to uplift and support other women leaders in marine protected areas, and I am grateful that WOGI is receiving support from organizations and governments to connect and empower more women guardians around the world who may still feel alone” said Saily. At the World Conservation Congress, Saily participated as both a Woman Ocean Guardians and youth leader in partnership with the GEF.
In the context of this convening, the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (IUCN-WCPA) also signed the commitment, cementing their commitment to continue elevating women who play a vital role in the creation, effective management, and protection of protected areas.
“Women Ocean Guardians is not only recognizing women’s leadership in ocean stewardship, it is also driving change so that women are fully included in the governance and management of protected areas, with the dignity and conditions they need to thrive. Alongside WCS, CI, the GEF, governments and partner organizations, WCPA is proud to stand behind this movement for more inclusive and effective conservation, said Madhu Rao, Chair, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas.
Launched at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice, the Women Ocean Guardians commitment – co-led by WCS, Conservation International and the Global Environmental Fund (GEF) – is mobilizing governments and organizations to embed gender equity across ocean policy and finance.
Signatories pledge to:
- Reinforce inclusive governance in national ocean and biodiversity plans
- Promouvoir les femmes dans des rôles décisionnels au sein des organes de gouvernance marine
- Support financing mechanisms for women-led conservation and climate-resilient livelihoods
- Promote leadership, technical, and financial capacity among coastal women
- Strengthen monitoring frameworks with transparent, equity-focused data and accountability systems
Together, these commitments are advancing SDG 5 and SDG 14, helping ensure women have an equal seat at the table to lead in shaping a resilient, sustainable ocean future.
“The GEF is proud to continue working with WCS, Conservation International, governments and organizations to advance the Women Ocean Guardians movement: convening, connecting, and uplifting women frontliners whose leadership is vital for inclusive and effective ocean conservation,” said Adriana Moreira, Lead for Partnerships at the Global Environment Facility, during the IUCN World Conservation Congress.
🔗 Learn more or sign on: https://womenoceanguardians.org/
Les femmes gardiennes de l'océan
Women Ocean Guardians is a public-private initiative that elevates women frontliners, de-siloing conservation and sustainable use, to participate in meaningful decision-making, transforming ocean governance for more resilient and sustainable outcomes. View the full engagement ici. S'inscrire en tant que gouvernement, institution ou organisation ici.
CI (Conservation International)
MISSION: CI empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature, our global biodiversity, for the well-being of humanity. Building upon a foundation of science, partnership, and field work, with offices in over two dozen countries and a network of thousands of partners, CI implements global solutions to global problems. Visit: www.conservation.org
Société de conservation de la faune (WCS)
WCS combine la puissance de ses zoos et de son aquarium de New York et un programme de conservation mondial dans plus de 50 pays pour réaliser sa mission de sauver la faune et la flore sauvages. WCS gère le plus grand programme de conservation au monde, protégeant plus de 50 % de la biodiversité connue de la Terre, en partenariat avec les gouvernements, les populations autochtones, les communautés locales et le secteur privé. Ses quatre zoos et aquariums (le Bronx Zoo, le Central Park Zoo, le Queens Zoo, le Prospect Park Zoo et le New York Aquarium) accueillent plus de 3,5 millions de visiteurs chaque année, inspirant les générations à prendre soin de la nature. Visitez le site : newsroom.wcs.org. Suivre : @WCSNewsroom. Pour plus d'informations : +1 (347) 840-1242. Écouter le podcast WCS Wild Audio ICI.
