Women at the forefront of animal welfare and conservation: Call for ethical responsibility

For over 25 years, working with street and abandoned animals has been more than just a profession – it has been my life’s mission. In India, where millions of animals roam our streets, often neglected, injured, or left to fend for themselves, the work of animal welfare organisations is both urgent and essential.

In the work where I have been deeply involved, we have responded to over 10,000 rescue calls annually, treating more than 6,000 animals every year. Since 1994, we have neutered and vaccinated 1,50,000 dogs, dramatically reducing rabies cases and suffering. 5,000 camels receive medical aid annually, ensuring their welfare in a state where they remain integral to rural livelihoods.

But animal welfare is not just about rescue and treatment. Over the years, I have advocated for the rights of performing animals, including monkeys, snakes, and bears, who were once cruelly exploited for entertainment. Over the years, with a firm focus, we have helped raise awareness and contribute to policies that protect these animals from exploitation and abuse. The eradication of dancing bears in India stands as a testament to such collective efforts.

One of our biggest achievements has been making Jaipur a rabies-free city through comprehensive vaccination and animal birth control programs. Fear-driven culling is not the answer – scientific, humane interventions are.

Ethical conservation and role of women leaders

Despite these successes, the larger question remains – how do we truly respect and protect animals?

Modern conservation efforts often focus on charismatic megafauna – tigers, elephants, and rhinos – but what about the ecosystem that sustains them? What about the lesser-known species, the smaller birds, the frogs, the insects – each vital to the balance of nature?

If we truly respect wildlife, we must protect their right to live in the wild, rather than bringing in exotic species for conservation tourism or expanding urban zoos. Kindness should not be species-specific—an abandoned dog, a laboratory monkey, a caged bird, and a trafficked pangolin all deserve the same empathy and action.

Fortunately, women-led conservation movements are leading the way in reshaping this narrative.

Take Purnima Devi Barman, a Padma Shri awardee who saved the greater adjutant stork (Hargila) from extinction in Assam by turning rural women into conservation warriors. Traditionally considered a bad omen, the Hargila was poached and its habitat destroyed. Instead of fighting hostility, Barman empowered women to become "Hargila Army" protectors, weaving stork motifs into Assamese textiles, celebrating them in local festivals, and shifting perception through grassroots action. Barman’s unique approach to conservation – blending wildlife protection with women’s empowerment – created a sustainable, community-driven movement. Her helped saved an endangered species and officially moved its status to “near threatened” under the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Along with it it also transformed lives, proving that conservation and social progress can go hand in hand.

In the Western Ghats, Vidya Athreya, an ecologist, has spent decades researching human-leopard conflict, proving that coexistence is possible. Instead of knee-jerk relocation measures, she promotes scientific mitigation strategies that reduce conflict and protect both humans and leopards.

In Madhya Pradesh, Latika Nath, India’s first female wildlife biologist with a PhD on tigers, has worked extensively on tiger conservation policies and habitat protection, shaping how India manages its national parks and reserves. She is known as Tiger Princess.

These extraordinary women have redefined what conservation means – not just in protecting animals but in transforming societal attitudes towards them. Women’s leadership in conservation is particularly visible in Assam, where grassroots movements have played a key role in preserving biodiversity.

In the Kaziranga landscape, women-led eco-tourism initiatives have provided alternative livelihoods to communities that previously relied on poaching or unsustainable practices. They are now protectors of rhinos, elephants, and river dolphins, showing that conservation must be community-driven, not imposed from the top down.

The connection between animal welfare, ecosystem protection, and community development is clear – when local people, especially women, become stakeholders in conservation, change is sustainable and long-term.

 A call for stronger laws & ethical responsibility
While India has some of the world’s strongest wildlife protection laws, implementation remains weak. Animal cruelty laws need urgent strengthening, especially for street animals, who face abuse, neglect, and abandonment daily.

Instead of expanding zoos, we need habitat restoration. Instead of removing stray dogs, we need sterilization and vaccination programs. Instead of glorifying exotic pets, we need to protect India’s natural fauna.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, let’s not just talk about gender equality but about the leadership role women play in conservation and animal welfare. The future of wildlife, domestic animals, and entire ecosystems depends on our ability to act with empathy, wisdom, and urgency.

The journey is long, but with compassion, courage, and commitment, we can ensure that every living being – whether a street dog or a wild elephant – is treated with respect, dignity, and care.

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