Frontiers news
22 Jul 2026
Mrinalini Rai – Restoring rights, rethinking conservation
In the world of biodiversity conservation, Mrinalini Rai has spent the best part of two decades fighting for something deceptively simple: that the women and Indigenous communities who care for nature receive the recognition, inclusion, and compensation they deserve. As the founder and director of Women4Biodiversity, a global advocacy organization that promotes and protects the fundamental rights of women and girls to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, Mrinalini was a key voice behind the landmark gender equality target adopted under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Speaking from Thailand, where she is currently based, she shared her journey with me.