Why climate action needs women

-

It is hard to talk about the relationship between water and gender without acknowledging the climate crisis we are currently facing. A changing climate affects everyone, however women are often more likely to be displaced as a result of climate change(UNWomen,2009). Many development policy approaches fail to recognise the gendered nature of everyday realities and experiences (Rao,2016). Therefore, there is a need for gender sensitive responses to the effects of climate change.

Climate change in Africa

Climate change will have serious implications for development prospects in Africa. The Climate in Africa report states how extreme weather events from tropical cyclones Idai and Kenneth to droughts and heavy rainfall that affected southern Africa and in the Greater Horn of Africa will become more frequent (WMO,2019).

Continued warming temperatures, rising sea levels and extreme weather events are just a snapshot of the rapidly rising longer term climate related risks associated with global warming (WMO,2019). This will be further exacerbated by land use changes, high natural variability, human extraction of resources, which will place stress on Africa’s water resources. While the visible impacts of climate change can be seen in the physical environment, such as through changing weather patterns, deforestation and soil erosion, flooding and drought, it will also have implications in social, economic and political spheres effecting livelihoods and food and water security (UNPRI,2014). Civil wars, failing governance systems and inequality, can further increase vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. Women because of a lack of social and economic autonomy are less mobile and therefore, cannot move as a way to adapt to climate change(WEFORUM,2018).

For example, in Kenya, climate change will result in increased intensity rainfall. People living around mount Kenya for example need water for agriculture and rely on the ice caps at the mountain. However, because of increasing temperature the ice caps are melting away and therefore finding it difficult to sustain agricultural yields. In Chad during the dry season, men go to towns, leaving women to look after the community, with dry seasons now becoming longer, women are finding it harder to look after families, and so becoming more vulnerable(BBC,2018).


 

                        Grassroots women from 11 African Countries sharing resilience techniques(UNDP)

In the video above, women talk about ways in which they build resistance. What is notable is that it isn’t always technology that is the solution. one way that they are finding sources of heat for cooking is using cow dung, something which my mother growing up in a village also recollects, collecting on sticks which is then dried and then used to create a fire for cooking. This emphasises, that it is not just necessarily technological solutions to climate change that can provide a form of resilience but also, techniques and methods that can utilise local resources.

Women’s knowledge and intimate understanding of local environments is crucial to increasing resilience and creating adaptive changes. Recognise that their roles and behaviour are embedded in the environment and are individuals who can contribute and benefit from climate adaption.

While mitigation and adaptation is becoming a key policy priority, a gendered perspectives is needed within this to ensure, through ensuring women are involved directly with decision makers and development partners. Furthermore, it is important to gear adaptive action towards increasing the adaptive capacity of women through assets and creating pro poor solutions. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Water scarcity and groundwater use in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): A gendered perspective

-
Image
This blog will highlight the discrepancies in current ways water scarcity is measured and highlight how water scarcity is not synonymous to water access. It will also underline how economic water scarcity facilitates gender disparities, through the arising inequalities surrounding groundwater use and access in Ethiopia. Many development goals seek to address water scarcity as the uneven spatial and temporal distribution of water, combined with population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation and intensive agriculture, has resulted in increased pressures on water resources globally ( Demie et al, 2016 ). Water Scarcity in Africa Firstly, the definition of physical water scarcity and economic scarcity should be distinguished. Whilst the former can be a result of insufficient water available from the water cycle ( Oki,2019 ), the latter occurs when there is a lack of access due to the failure of institutions to ensure adequate infrastructure for a regular supply of water ( UNWater,2018
Read more

Urban sanitation and gender based violence (GBV)

-
Image
The acceleration of urbanisation will increase pressures on water resources, with Africa being forecasted to experience the most growth ( OECD,2019 ). Poor access to sanitation or water increases the risk of violence for women which also impoverishes their families, communities and societies ( Amnesty,2020 ).  This post will unravel the implications of gender based violence (GBV) on women and girls’ abilities to access WASH facilities and initiatives seeking to address this. GBV and WASH in urban informal settlements   GBV can significantly impact access to adequate water sanitation and hygiene for women and girls and in some cases boys and men.   As the world recently marked world toilet day (Nov 19) it emphasises how without toilets  basic hygiene practices are compromised.  In Makuu informal settlement in south-east Nairobi Kenya, ‘going to the toilet’ is not just a public health or infrastructural matter but also a matter of personal safety.  “Women, more than men, suffer the ind
Read more

Walk for Water: Gender and water collection responsibilties

-
Image
In many parts of the globe, surviving without a running tap within the household requires seeking alternatives: walking for water. My mother who grew up in rural Bangladesh in the 1960s often reminds me of her childhood experiences of waking up at dawn with other children and women to collect water from the unmonitored local river. This is still a reality for many. This post will focus on the gender inequalities surrounding water collection by looking at a study by Graham et al (2016)  on water collection in 24 SSA countries.  Over two-thirds of the population report leaving their homes to collect water (ibid.). Fleifel et al, ( 2019 ) highlights t hat the unequal responsibilities around water-related tasks  is a result of water insecurity, something we have discussed in a previous post. This inequality invites exposure to violence, ill-health and female disempowerment. Table 1: Water Collection in 24 Sub- Saharan countries in Africa source In the 24 SSA countries studied, an estimate
Read more