Dorothy Myers obituary

The Guardian

12-06-2025

My friend and colleague Dorothy Myers, who has died aged 88, was a pioneering environmentalist.
When she joined the Oxfam policy unit in Oxford in 1984, the organisation had just published David Bull's influential book Pesticides and the Third World Poor. Dorothy led Oxfam's input to teamwork with the global Pesticide Action Network (Pan) that challenged the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation to stop export of pesticides banned in industrialised countries to the developing world.
While at Oxfam, she helped establish the Pesticides Trust (part of the global Pan, and now Pan UK), which promotes safe and sustainable alternatives to pesticides. Dorothy's research identified pesticides with deadly impacts in the global south and contributed to the Rotterdam Convention, an international treaty effective since 2004 that agrees responsibility for dangerous chemicals. Her last study at Oxfam, co-authored with Joan Davidson, on poverty and environmental degradation, was presented to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.
After leaving Oxfam, she joined Pan UK in 1994 to establish an organic cotton project with African partners. She helped the project identify methods of pest management that would safeguard health and reward farmers financially for growing organic cotton. Many thousands of farmers still benefit.
Dr Abou Thiam, the former regional coordinator of Pan Africa, recalled how Dorothy was 'always available and always helpful' and'provided outstanding service to many peoples, farmers, communities and organisations in Africa'.
Dorothy was thoughtful and strategic, with a great ability to turn abstract concepts into action. Friends around the world also remember her great sense of fun.
Born in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, she was the daughter of Amy (nee Hinton) and Frank Halliman, both teachers, and went to Middlesbrough high school for girls. She gained a degree in geography from LSE in 1959, then joined her parents, who were teaching in Kenya.
Working in Nairobi's town planning department from 1960, she highlighted the need for essential services in rapidly growing shantytowns. Dorothy met the environmentalist Norman Myers in Kenya and they married in 1965. In the late 60s they built up a wildlife photographic business, which supported them through a spell in California while Norman studied for a PhD at the University of California, Berkeley.
In 1972 they returned to Nairobi, where Dorothy became involved in local environmental action. In 1974, now with two young children, she helped establish the Environment Liaison Centre International, the local link to the Nairobi-based UN Environment Programme. The family returned to the UK in 1982 and settled in Oxford, where Dorothy began her work with Oxfam.
Dorothy separated from Norman in 1992. Launching a new challenge, she ran an English language summer school for foreign students, remembered fondly by many who worked there, which she continued for many summers while at Pan UK.
Always able to effortlessly fit more into life, Dorothy loved music, art and gardening, and being surrounded by nature. After retiring in 2001 she bought a house near Limoux, France, where friends and family valued entertaining discussions.
Dorothy is survived by her daughters, Malindi and Mara, and grandchildren, Juliette and Alex.