Dr Sheila Willis
Celebrating women across the globe helping to prevent deaths from pesticide self-poisoning.Working internationally to understand the impacts of hazardous pesticides and develop solutions
Name
Dr Sheila Willis
Job role
Head of International Programmes at Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK)
Location
United Kingdom
Tell us about your role?
I manage three, connected workstreams. 1) With local organisations to understand the impacts of hazardous pesticides and develop solutions. We have helped thousands of farmers to adopt safer, affordable alternatives and prevented thousands of incidents of poisoning. 2) Provide tools and technical support to organisations to roll out solutions at scale. 3) Engage with global institutions and governments to tackle Highly Hazardous Pesticides and improve access to safer alternatives.
Why is this work important to you?
The ingenuity of farmers we work with in poorer countries and their determination to support their families and communities is inspiring to me. But they are pushed to use costly and hazardous pesticides that endanger their lives, erode profits and undermine natural resources. Supporting farmers to produce nutritious food safely, profitably and sustainably doesn’t only benefit them, it benefits all of us and the planet. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this vital effort.
This profile has been compiled for International Women’s Day 2025, to celebrate women across the globe whose work is helping to save lives from pesticide self-poisoning.