The growing worldwide demand for resources is threatening the world's environmental health to an unprecedented extent. Unless new policies are set in place, this situation could have devastating implications for human develop- ment. Significant among the possible options are massive campaigns, both at government and private levels, to educate people about how critical the situation is for human survival and for everybody's quality of life.

In this context, women and children can be very active participants in the defense of the environment and can stop, or even reverse, the degradation of our natural resources. At a global level, there is growing awareness of the need to get women to contribute to the identification of environmental problems, as well as to help plan activities geared to the sustainable development of their communities.

In the past 200 years, industrial processes have caused increasing levels of pollution and the degradation of air, water and land. In addition to unrestricted exploitation of natural resources, unsound agricultural practices have had devastating effects on the environment and, as a result, on people's health and quality of life. Women and children have been particularly affected.