The two conservation organizations have just launched a Photo Book in which they present the good practices of women who stand out for practices against the extractive model.
WoMin and Green Development Advocates (GDA) hosted a webinar on Thursday, 19 March, 2026, to hear more about Baka women and the Congo rainforest. On this occasion, WoMin launched the Photo Book « In the Embrace of the Earth ». In this inaugural edition related to celebration of the International Day of Forests (21 March), it celebrates forest communities in the Congo Basin rainforest, which covers 300 million hectares across six different countries. WoMin and GDA produced a Photo Book documenting the daily lives of Baka communities in the Djoum Subdivision of Cameroon, travelling to Assoumdele, Akom, Zoulabot and Odoumou villages. Designed by Cameroonian artist Ethel Tawe, these powerful images showcase the strength and resilience of Baka women, who work tirelessly to protect the forest, according to WoMin.
The Photo Book is part of WoMin’s commitment to advancing African ecofeminist development alternatives rooted in the experiences and the knowledge of African women, who stand at the forefront of a movement towards a just future for all forms of life. Accordind to WoMin, The forest is home to many forms of life, including endangered species, and it’s essential to stabilise global temperatures and slow the effects of climate change but it’s threatened by mining, logging and other forms of extractivism.
In the heart of Africa’s biggest rainforest, Baka women, the guardians of the forest, are leading the resistance against the destruction of nature caused by the extractive development model, by sustaining communal forms of ownership and production, preserving intergenerational knowledge and deep communal care. As they defend their rights and the environment, they also present an alternative to extractivism, based on sustainable management of natural resources and protection of the Commons.
Advocacy for the preservation of intergenerational knowledge
In her remarks, Eliana Nzualo of WoMin praised the ecosystem services provided by forests in traditional medicine, the improvement of living conditions and well-being, and the livelihoods of local communities. The document, which presents the realities experienced on the ground, also emphasizes social equity. « Baka women do not operate according to an extractivist logic. » « They go more into the forest to have a deep connection with nature, » stated Alain Fabrice Mfoulou, specialist in land and forestry issues at GDA.
However, threats to forests persist, especially extractive projects such as dam construction and infrastructure development, which have altered the landscape and caused the (forced) displacement of riverside communities. WoMin encourages the preservation of intergenerational knowledge and the creation of mechanisms to protect communities, their living conditions, and their livelihoods. Eliana Nzualo emphasizes on the urgent need for a coordinated campaign to protect forests, to prevent the time from coming.
During the exchange session, GDA’s actions and interventions to strengthen the capacity of communities and Indigenous Peoples to reinforce their close ties with the forest were highlighted. The most striking example is the role of the CSO in supporting communities to assert their rights against the agro-industrial project developed by Camvert in the localities of Campo and Niété in the Ocean Division, South Region.
About The Author
