Resumo

Resentment at the predominance of a well-established pattern of sexual division of labor in traditional African communities, according to which men perform jobs such as fishing, masonry, carpentry, agriculture, etc., and women play roles related to the domestic maintenance of families. These resentments have led to the exclusion of women in the development of their communities and even in their individual and professional development. This exclusion tends to worsen in the area of biodiversity protection. This article seeks precisely to unveil the other "feminine side", analyzing the presence of women in the protection of biodiversity, directly or indirectly, taking as a case the district of Mogincual, on the coast of Nampula province, in northern Mozambique. Methodologically, the study is based on a qualitative approach. The results of the study show how the women capitalized on the local culture (local knowledge) as a methodology to sensitize and engage other community members to be more aware of the mangroves and the massive planting of mangrove seedlings in that region. The study also reveals that, despite the great work done by women to protect coastal biodiversity, the district government still does not recognize women's abilities and exclude them from decision-making on environmental issues.