Climate Change Hits Her Hardest

This year, the theme for World Environment Day, which falls on June 5, is #NowForClimate, calling attention to the need for urgent action to deal with the climate crisis engulfing the globe.

This year, too, the day is a reminder of the fact that women are central to the conversation around the environment – for two important reasons.

One is that the impact of climate change is felt disproportionately by women, especially those who are poor, marginalised, and dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods.

Scarcity of water due to worsening droughts increases the workload of those who have to travel long distances to fetch water, leaving less time for education and income-generating work. Women and girls are primarily responsible for water collection in seven out of 10 households that lack domestic water supply across the world.

Globally, 80% of the people displaced by climate change are women.

Climate change is expected to push 158 million women and children into poverty by 2050.

Although women make up over 40 per cent of the agricultural labour force in developing countries, they own only 10 to 20 per cent of the land. Since they tend to have small farms and less access to credit, technology and climate information that can help preempt natural disasters, climate change has particularly adverse impacts on women.

Climate disasters like floods and heatwaves also tend to affect women more than men. During the 2004 Asian tsunami, for example, 70 per cent of those who died were women.

The second reason why women need to be part of the conversation about the environment is that they are also powerful agents of change.  With their knowledge and experience of managing natural resources and building community networks, they can become important contributors to efforts to adapt to climate change, providing solutions to related problems and reducing the risk of environmental disasters.

According to the United Nations Development Programme, studies have revealed that countries with greater representation of women in leadership are more likely to adopt initiatives to protect the environment as well as climate-related policies. The meaningful participation of women in climate governance can improve the effectiveness and sustainability of climate action, making gender an important factor is addressing the global climate crisis.

InkSights is a monthly art series by NWMI member Anupama Bijur viewing current affairs through a gender and news lens.