Sovereignty in the Soil: Indigenous Women, Customary Land, and Climate Resilience in the Congo Basin

Democratic Republic of the Congo | Ahead of COP30 — As COP30 approaches in the Brazilian Amazon, another vital rainforest region — the Congo Basin — remains under pressure. It is here, in the vast tropical forests of Central Africa, that a quiet revolution is underway, led by some of the most overlooked actors in global climate policy: Indigenous women.

Indigenous women Cameroonian and Congolese women have emerged as frontline defenders of customary land rights, legitimising their call for a seat at the climate negotiation table heading into COP30. (Photo: UNHCR)

Across Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and the Republic of the Congo, Indigenous women are not only forest stewards — they are frontline defenders of customary land rights. And increasingly, they are demanding a seat at the climate negotiation table.

Guardians of the Forest

The Congo Basin is home to more than 150 Indigenous groups, many of whom practice communal land ownership and rely on forest resources for survival. But their lands are rarely recognized by formal law.

“We protect the forest because it is part of our identity,” says Yvonne Mboli, a Baka woman leader in eastern Cameroon. “But without title or recognition, we live in fear of being pushed out — even in the name of conservation.”

Climate Finance, Uneven Gains

With the Congo Basin now a focus of REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) schemes and climate funding, large sums are being pledged to protect carbon sinks. Yet little of this finance reaches Indigenous communities — and even less reaches women. In some cases, carbon offset projects have resulted in evictions or restricted access to ancestral forests.

“We are told the forest is valuable, but we are not consulted when deals are made,” says Therese Yembe, a grassroots organizer in Kisangani. “Climate justice must begin with land justice.”

Mapping Rights, Reclaiming Space

In the DRC, women-led cooperatives have begun participatory land mapping with support from civil society partners. Using GPS tools, oral histories, and customary law, they are charting traditional land boundaries that never existed on paper.

These maps are being submitted to local authorities and international forums, laying the groundwork for legal recognition. “When we map, we make ourselves visible,” says Solange Ikomo, who leads a local land rights initiative in Equateur province.

From Margins to COP30

Although COP30 will convene leaders and financiers to chart the next phase of global climate action, Indigenous women from the Congo Basin say they must not be left out. Several are preparing to attend as part of civil society delegations, with a call to embed land tenure security and gender equity into every climate framework.

“If you want to protect the forest, protect the people who know it best,” says Yvonne Mboli. “Start with our land, and start with our rights.”

A Call for Recognition

Land is more than territory — it is heritage, identity, and sovereignty. For Indigenous women in the Congo Basin, the fight for land rights is not just about survival, but about dignity and self-determination. As the world debates carbon credits and climate targets, their voices serve as a powerful reminder: climate solutions must begin with those who have long protected the Earth.