Women herders and pastoralists are vital stewards of the world’s rangelands, sustaining livestock, managing natural resources and strengthening household and community resilience. Yet their contributions are often overlooked, while unequal access to land, livestock, finance, services and decision-making limits their influence and adaptive capacity. This brief highlights the critical roles women play in rangeland management, food security, climate adaptation and local economies. It calls for stronger rights, leadership and gender-responsive governance to ensure women pastoralists can fully contribute to sustainable rangeland stewardship, resilient livelihoods and inclusive development, especially in the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.