Women of the Arctic Newsletter #2

Winter 2025 Newsletter.

Hello from Women of the Arctic!

It’s been a while since we last reached out, and we’re excited to reconnect. A lot has happened both within WoA and in the world, and we want to share some updates and invite you to join us in what’s ahead.

First, we want to acknowledge the transition in our leadership. Last year, we bid a heartfelt farewell to our co-lead Leena Rantamaula, who stepped down from our board, and warmly welcomed Sohvi Kangasluoma. We’re so grateful for Leena’s contributions and so delighted to have Sohvi join us. You can learn more about her terrific self, below.

Gender equality remains central to everything we do. It is a fundamental human right and the foundation for sustainable development in the Arctic. From addressing climate change and ensuring food security to promoting economic growth and the well-being of northern communities, the role of women is indispensable. Yet, gender parity is far from a reality, even in the Arctic, highlighting the urgency of continued action.

This urgency has guided our work over the past years. We’ve collaborated with like-minded organizations and individuals to consolidate knowledge on gender equality in the Arctic, supported the integration of a gender-dimension in various research projects, as well as organized and participated in events focusing on the intersection of gender and the Arctic environment.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce that you can become a member of WoA, and that we’ll be hosting a book club for International Women’s Day. We hope you’ll join us in these new initiatives as we continue to push for meaningful change. Gosia and Tahnee will also be at the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV) in March, so please say hello!

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported us, shared their insights, and encouraged our efforts to date. Women of the Arctic is the result of many extraordinary contributions, which you can learn more about on our website:
www.genderisnotplanb.com

Warmest wishes,
The WoA Team

BECOME A MEMBER.

WELCOME SOHVI!

We’re thrilled to welcome Sohvi Kangasluoma to the WoA team!

Sohvi is a Postdoctoral researcher at the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, in the Academy of Finland project, Rethinking International Relations in an Era of the Planetocene: Case Arctic Ocean Up to 2050, in which she focuses on the role of sea ice in redefining human-nature relations. Sohvi lives on a sailboat which recently sailed through the Northwest Passage and is currently overwintering off the coast of Greenland.

JOIN OUR BOOK CLUB!

We invite you to join us for the first Women of the Arctic book club! This is a relaxed and cosy event, where we’ll discuss interesting and timely books. Didn't have time to read the whole book? No stress, join us anyway!

We begin our book club with The Polar Adventures of a Rich American Dame: A Life of Louise Arner Boyd, by Joanna Kafarowski. We are honoured to have Joanna with us for the latter part of the book club. Sohvi, who herself sailed through the Northwest Passage last summer, will be leading this event.

SIGN UP TO JOIN.

PROJECTS.

ICEBERG is an international, interdisciplinary, Horizon Europe funded project that studies ocean & coastal pollution, and creates governance & resilience strategies with northern communities in North Iceland, South Greenland & Svalbard. WoA’s working with colleagues to understand & address the gender-dimension of this pollution. (Photo Credit: Luisa Lollio)

Arctic PASSION is an international, Horizon 2020 funded project that seeks to create an integrated Pan-Arctic Observing System of Systems. Here too, WoA’s focusing on how to integrate a gender dimension therein. (Photo from AP Sharing Circle: Olivia Rempel/GRID-Arendal)

In 2020-21, with support from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, WoA led the research behind and writing of the chapter on Gender & Environment in the Arctic for the Pan-Arctic Report: Gender Equality in the Arctic. You can learn more here.

Mapping Women of the Arctic is a prototype mapping project that spotlights the stories and geolocations of women of the Arctic from all walks of life – women who live in, work in, or engage with the Arctic. The project and map seek to challenge “what makes a person notable”. Launching in 2025.

TAKE OUR SURVEY ON PARENTING & FIELDWORK!

Have you ever had to juggle the ins-and-outs of organising child-care while also planning for fieldwork? Have you brought your child into the field with you? Or, do you have an Early Career Researcher on your team who you're looking to support through this reality?

If so, then we hope you'll participate in a survey that we’re co-leading with Dr. Christine Liang (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research) as a part of the ICEBERG project, and which seeks to gather insights on the intersection of parenting and field-based research. Your input will help us develop recommendations to enhance support systems and resources for parents who work in field-based research.

EVENTS.

Over the past years we’ve co-hosted and participated in various events, seeking to mainstream gender issues in Arctic debates, to bring a diversity of voices into ongoing discussions on gender in the Arctic, and to draw attention to the central role of gender equality in the sustainable development of the Arctic.

In March, we’ll be at the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV) in Boulder, Colorado, USA. We hope to see you there!

ICARP IV Conference
Together with the Gender in the Arctic WG, we are hosting a session on the future of gender & equity in Arctic research practices, policies, and agendas.

Arctic Frontiers 2024
We teamed up with APECS & WiPS to organize “Wind in their Sails”, a workshop that brought together a diverse group of ocean leaders from across the Arctic. (Photo Credit: Axel Schlindwein)

2024 Arctic Observing Summit
Speakers at our session “Toward Equitable Arctic Observing Systems” discussed the legacy of tracking human well-being & advancing environmental observations through societal & intersectional lenses. (Photo Credit: Michael Karcher)

WRITING & PRESS.

We’ve published in, and been featured by, various media outlets. In 2023, we also edited a Special Issue on “Women of the Arctic” for the Polar Record, a journal of Arctic and Antarctic research. Here are some select publications:

Editorial: Women of the Arctic (Polar Record, Special Issue)
Mapping Women+ of the Arctic (British Cartographic Society)
Women of the Arctic - And the Importance of Gender in the Arctic (WWF)
Gender Equality for a Thriving, Sustainable Arctic (sustainability journal)

WHAT’S NEXT & HOW TO CONTRIBUTE!

Do you live in, work on, or engage with the Arctic? Do you want to promote gender equality in your community or professional setting? Would you like to share your views or experiences on matters related to gender in the Arctic?

As a digital storytelling platform, Plan A. seeks to provide a space where you can share your thoughts, views, and perspectives on women’s and gender-related issues across the Arctic. We are open to contributions in the form of op-eds, commentaries on past and present events, summaries of research findings, videos, audio, photo essays, and more.

We accept contributions on a rolling basis.

Have questions? Feel free to reach out at info@genderisnotplanb.com.

THE FACES OF WOMEN OF THE ARCTIC.

We all know that a picture is worth a thousand words. So, one of our goals is to create create a fuller and more accurate picture of Women of the Arctic – women in their homes, at work, in their communities, traveling. Women elders, mothers, sisters, daughters, and granddaughters. Portraits of individuals, friends, or families. If this is you, then please send us your photo at info@genderisnotplanb.com.

“Women of the Arctic” (WoA) is a non-profit association registered in Finland. It aims to raise awareness, support, and maintain a focus on women’s and gender-related issues in the Arctic. Its website www.genderisnotplanb.com serves as a digital storytelling platform, showcasing the personal and professional stories of Arctic women while also highlighting and promoting the inclusion of broader gender perspectives in all aspects of northern life.

If you were forwarded this email, please visit our website to subscribe and stay updated on our latest news.

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