What happens when a stream shared by two communities becomes polluted or begins to run dry? At first, it may seem like an environmental problem. But very quickly, it can become a question of health, livelihoods, fairness and even peace.
Living in Swat, I have always seen how closely our lives are connected to forests, rivers, land and other natural resources. But over time, I have come to understand something more deeply: protecting the environment is not only about protecting nature. It is also about protecting relationships between people.
This understanding became stronger when I participated as an Environmental Human Rights Defender (EHRD) in a five-day capacity-building programme under the “Empowering Women for Peace and Environmental Justice in Swat” project, supported by UNDP Pakistan and implemented by Hashoo Foundation.
The training brought together 20 women and 20 men from different backgrounds. We discussed environmental justice, peacebuilding, community dialogue, mediation, advocacy and practical ways of responding to environmental concerns.
For me, however, the most important part was not simply learning new terms. It was learning to look at familiar problems differently.
From Environmental Problems to Environmental Rights:
Before the training, I mostly viewed environmental problems as issues affecting our surroundings. If there was pollution, poor waste management or a damaged water source, I saw it as a problem that needed to be fixed.
The training helped me understand that these issues are also connected to people’s rights.
A clean and healthy environment affects our health, dignity, livelihoods and ability to live safely and peacefully. When pollution affects a community or natural resources are damaged, people have a right to raise their concerns and seek a response from the relevant institutions.
Consider a simple example. If untreated waste or polluted water enters a stream used by households or farmers, people may initially complain among themselves. Neighbours may become frustrated, and disagreements may develop over who is responsible.
But a complaint alone may not solve the problem.
Communities need to know how to document what is happening: where the problem is located, how long it has continued, who is affected, what evidence is available and whether attempts have already been made to resolve it.
We also learned about institutions such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Environmental Protection Tribunal (EPT), which provide formal channels through which environmental concerns can be raised and addressed.
This changed the way I think about environmental justice. A grievance does not have to become a confrontation. People can collect evidence, approach the appropriate institutions and seek solutions through peaceful and constructive means.
When Environmental Problems Become Peace Problems: Environmental problems do not exist in isolation. When resources become limited or polluted, tensions can grow between people.
Imagine two communities depending on the same water source when the available water is declining. Or consider disputes related to waste disposal, forests, land or pollution. What begins as an environmental concern can gradually turn into a disagreement between neighbours, families or entire communities.
This is where I learned how closely environmental justice and peacebuilding are connected.
One of the concepts that particularly influenced me was Insider Mediation. In simple terms, it means helping people resolve disagreements from within the community, through someone who understands the local people, relationships and context.
We learned the importance of listening carefully, understanding the interests of different sides and communicating without immediately deciding who is right or wrong.
A mediator does not force people to accept a solution. Instead, the mediator helps create space for people to communicate, understand each other and identify possible common ground.
Neutrality, confidentiality and the principle of “Do No Harm” are important parts of this process.
For me, this was a powerful lesson. An environmental grievance that is ignored can deepen tensions. But when people are given an opportunity to be heard and a peaceful mechanism is available to address their concerns, the same grievance can become an opportunity for dialogue and cooperation.
Why Women Must Be Part of the Solution: Women experience environmental problems in very direct ways.
Water shortages, poor sanitation, unmanaged waste, changing weather patterns and environmental health risks affect households every day. Women often understand these challenges because they encounter them in their homes, workplaces and communities.
Yet women are still frequently absent from the spaces where decisions about these issues are made.
This needs to change.
Women should not only be treated as beneficiaries of environmental projects. We should be able to identify problems, speak about them, engage with communities, approach relevant institutions and participate in finding solutions.
For me, becoming an EHRD was not simply about gaining technical knowledge. It was also about gaining confidence.
The training gave women an opportunity to learn alongside men, exchange experiences and understand that our voices have value in conversations about the environment, community concerns and peace.
More importantly, the experience showed us that learning does not have to remain inside a training room.
Through Social Action Projects, EHRDs can take what they have learned into their communities. A local environmental concern can be identified, relevant people can be engaged and practical steps can be taken to address it.
The Real Test Begins After the Training: For me, the real test of being an Environmental Human Rights Defender begins after the training.
Our responsibility is now to listen to environmental concerns in our communities, document problems, encourage women and other community members to speak up, engage with relevant government institutions and promote peaceful solutions when disagreements arise.
But communities cannot do this alone.
Government institutions have an important role in ensuring that environmental grievance mechanisms are accessible, understandable and responsive. Citizens also have a responsibility to raise concerns responsibly, provide evidence where possible and engage constructively.
Universities, civil society organizations, media, community elders and religious leaders can also contribute by creating awareness and encouraging dialogue.
Environmental protection and peacebuilding are too important to be left to one institution or one group.
A Seat at the Table Must Mean Real Participation: When we say that women need “a seat at the table,” it should mean more than simply inviting women to an event or consultation.
It should mean that women are present when local environmental problems are identified, when community priorities are discussed and when decisions are made.
It should mean that women can participate in community dialogues, contribute to environmental grievance mechanisms, engage with government departments and help mediate disagreements before they become serious conflicts.
Women should also be able to bring the experiences of their families and communities into these discussions.
A woman who understands the challenges of water access, waste management or environmental health can contribute a perspective that may otherwise remain unheard.
Including women does not mean excluding men. It means bringing more voices, experiences and ideas into the process of finding solutions.
A Healthier Environment, A More Peaceful Swat
Swat’s rivers, forests, mountains and natural beauty are among our greatest strengths. But these resources cannot be taken for granted.
Protecting them requires people who are willing to speak up-and who know how to speak up constructively.
My experience as an EHRD has taught me that environmental justice and peacebuilding are not separate ideas.
When natural resources are protected and managed fairly, one potential source of community tension can be reduced. When people have peaceful ways to raise concerns and resolve disagreements, they are better able to work together to protect the environment they share.
And when women are meaningfully included in both processes, communities gain voices and experiences that have too often remained unheard.
For Swat, we need both: a healthy environment and peaceful communities.
And women should not simply be invited to the table. We must have a meaningful role in shaping the decisions made there.
By Nida Umar
environmental human rights defender
–The author is an Environmental Human Rights Defender (EHRD) from Swat and a participant in the “Empowering Women for Peace and Environmental Justice in Swat” project, supported by UNDP Pakistan and implemented by Hashoo Foundation.a
