UNFFS director calls for visibility and recognition of women in forestry

Dr Biao’s address shed light on the intersections of gender, forestry, and sustainable development, areas where she has made significant contributions throughout her distinguished career.

I believe that there are capable women out there. The problem that we need to address is the invisibility. If we fail to recognize the efforts that women are making at all levels, we miss out and do not take advantage of the full potential of women, Dr Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo stated.

This call to action resonated with the audience, highlighting the necessity of acknowledging and valuing women’s contributions in all spheres of forestry and beyond.

There’s no glass ceiling for women in the forestry sector. What a man can do, a woman is able to do, Dr Biao said.

First female forester in West Africa

Her work has consistently emphasized environmental sustainability, community livelihood, and gender equality. She also inspired young women professionals with her message:

Dr. Biao’s academic credentials, including an M.Sc. in Forestry Economics and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration, provided a solid foundation for her work in natural resources management and policy-making.

Notably, she made history as the first female forester in West Africa, pioneering initiatives in natural resource management.

Before her role at UNFFS, Dr. Biao was the Director and Regional Representative for Africa at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya for over six years.

Her portfolio also includes significant governmental experience in her home country, Benin, having held the positions of Benin’s Minister of Environment and Nature Protection and Acting Minister of Family and the Child.