World Female Ranger Week To Celebrate Gender Equality In Conservation

The event—from June 23 to 30—will spotlight the 5,000-plus female wildlife rangers involved in everything from arresting poachers to seizing snares that trap animals to educating local communities about conservation.

As well as celebrating the vital roles this global community of women plays, the week hopes to inspire others to consider becoming rangers as a career—currently, only 11 percent of rangers are female.

The week was created by adventurer and conservationist, Holly Budge, who has been supporting the work of female rangers for almost a decade.

Holly—who, among her many achievements, was the first woman to skydive over Everest—is also the founder of the UK Charity How Many Elephants, which draws attention to the shocking plight of African elephants due to the illegal ivory trade.

Holly Budge With The Black Mambas

Photo credit: How Many Elephants

Holly promotes World Female Ranger Week through How Many Elephants, which this year will include live and online events and a fundraising platform to support rangers worldwide.

“Having patrolled with multiple ranger teams across Africa, I’ve seen first-hand how these bold women are impacting lives,” she said.

“They are protecting wildlife, uplifting communities and empowering other women.”

Holly is passionate about redressing the gender imbalance in conservation. Currently, less than 11% of the global ranger workforce is female.

Holly is gathering data on these statistics “to identify their needs, find tangible solutions, and help build effective policies towards positive outcomes for female rangers and conservation as a whole.” So far, she has identified over 5,500 rangers working worldwide in countries as diverse as Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Guyana, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Tasmania, and Scotland.

Their roles differ, and many are under additional pressure—some because it’s not considered acceptable for them to work in a man’s world, while others may have to support their entire families.

However, becoming a ranger has had a very positive effect and improved their lives.

“Becoming a ranger has empowered them, turned them into breadwinners and property owners and has allowed them access to higher education and much-needed healthcare,” said Holly.

Akashinga

Photo Credit: Brent Stirton

World Female Ranger Week has been internationally applauded for the work it does.

Ugandan Dr Glady Kalema-Zikusoka, WFRW Ambassador, said she was delighted to support the event.

“Gender equality in the conservation area is such an important and prevalent topic,” she said.

“There is still work to do but World Female Ranger Week plays a key role in raising awareness of the work of female rangers and women in conservation more broadly.”

Further information is available at www.worldfemalerangerweek.org and www.howmanyelephants.org

For further information/interviews with Holly and case studies of women rangers please contact Bernice Saltzer at Sorted PR on 07977 860183 or email bernice@sortedpr.com

About Holly Budge, Founder of How Many Elephants & World Female Ranger Week.

Holly Budge is an adventurer, Everest summiteer and the first woman to skydive Everest. She is an advocate for building mental toughness and has been described as “down-to-earth, funny and incredibly inspiring” by HRH Prince Edward. Holly is the founder of UK Charity, ‘How Many Elephants’ and World Female Ranger Week. Her impactful work has been celebrated worldwide, including by Sir David Attenborough. She was recently voted ‘Woman of the Year in Non-Profit’ through the Stevie Awards, listed in the Top 100 Women in Social Enterprise and is an official UN Women UK Delegate.

About How Many Elephants

UK registered charity, How Many Elephants (1186238), is a powerful design-led awareness campaign and innovative in its 100% non-gory approach. It showcases the annual poaching rate of 35,000 elephants in Africa in a visual exhibition to inspire and educate a global audience about the devastating impacts of the ivory trade. How Many Elephants collaborates with and supports female rangers on the front line. Read more at www.howmanyelephants.org