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Women face the biggest challenges with the climate change. And what a difference it can make to families and communities when women are put at the heart of adapting to climate impacts in order to avoid development disasters.
source: UNICEF
source: www.workofwomen.org
“Though the affects of climate change are significantly impacting poorer people, it is particularly affecting women. Climate change is exacerbating the problems and inequities that women already face. Women are generally bound by the need to collect food, fuel and water as well as the cultural mores that may prevent them from being educated, owning land or presenting solutions to village leaders.”
JoDee Powers
Climate Change Consultant
source: UNICEF/HQ06-
While climate change is generally recognized as the crisis of the 21st century, generally unrecognized is its disproportionate impact on women.
Political Inequality:
Compounding this reality is the widespread gender inequities existing throughout the policy- and decision-making spheres, leaving women to struggle against restricted access to information and education, restricted mobility, and in many cases laws restricting or prohibiting land ownership.
Women are producing 60% of food in Asia and 80% in Africa, yet women have access to 1% of agricultural credit worldwide. (source: WEDO)
Compounding this reality is the widespread gender inequities existing throughout the policy-
Women are producing 60% of food in Asia and 80% in Africa, yet women have access to 1% of agricultural credit worldwide. (source: WEDO)
source: Lynn Leventhal/India
Increased Workload/Household Burdens:
Because of women’s role in the household, women have had to cope with swift environmental changes for centuries. However, climate change is lessening women’s capacity to cope with these changes. And when women are not able to adapt to their environment entire communities suffer. (source: WEDO)
Climate change exacerbates issues of scarcity and lack of accessibility to primary natural resources, forest resources, and arable land, thereby contributing to increased workload and stresses on women and girls as well as increased conflict and instability which often leads to increased violence against women and girls.
Because of women’s role in the household, women have had to cope with swift environmental changes for centuries. However, climate change is lessening women’s capacity to cope with these changes. And when women are not able to adapt to their environment entire communities suffer. (source: WEDO)
Climate change exacerbates issues of scarcity and lack of accessibility to primary natural resources, forest resources, and arable land, thereby contributing to increased workload and stresses on women and girls as well as increased conflict and instability which often leads to increased violence against women and girls.
source: Ali Leventhal/Africa
Higher Risks During Disasters:
Women and children are 14 times more likely to die than men during natural disasters and are otherwise disproportionately adversely affected (source: WEDO)
Women and children are 14 times more likely to die than men during natural disasters and are otherwise disproportionately adversely affected (source: WEDO)
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85% of people who die from disasters are women (source: WEDO)
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70-
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90% of the casualties in the 1991 cyclone in Bangladesh were women (source: Norden)
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83% of low-
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source: UNICEF/HQ05-
source: Lynn Leventhal/India
Women comprise an estimated 70% of those falling below the poverty line worldwide and with the world’s poorest being the most vulnerable to climate change, women are among the most deeply affected by a changing climate.
Climatic Threats to Life:
It is predicted that climate change will lead to increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather conditions, precipitating the occurrence of natural disasters around the globe.
A London School of Economics study in 2007 examined natural disasters that had occurred in 141 countries from 1981-2002. The study found that natural disasters lower the life expectancy of women, and as the disaster intensifies so too does this effect.
It is predicted that climate change will lead to increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather conditions, precipitating the occurrence of natural disasters around the globe.
A London School of Economics study in 2007 examined natural disasters that had occurred in 141 countries from 1981-
source: www.jordan.usaid.gov
KHAWLA AL SHEIKH
Trained Plumber, Jordan
Women who are active in policy advocacy can influence effective, gender-responsive legislation in their local governments.
Khawla Al Sheikh has responded to increased levels of water scarcity in her town by working with Jordan’s Ministry of Water and Irrigation and USAID to create an empowered network of rural women in order to inform each other on water scarcity issues and how to conduct simple home water audits, reduce their bills and conserve water. (source: Oxfam:Sisters on the Planet)
Trained Plumber, Jordan
Women who are active in policy advocacy can influence effective, gender-
Khawla Al Sheikh has responded to increased levels of water scarcity in her town by working with Jordan’s Ministry of Water and Irrigation and USAID to create an empowered network of rural women in order to inform each other on water scarcity issues and how to conduct simple home water audits, reduce their bills and conserve water. (source: Oxfam:Sisters on the Planet)
source: Lynn Leventhal/India
Women’s and men’s lifestyles, behaviors, and consumption are different with different environmental footprints – regardless of rich or poor nations.
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Women tend to have smaller incomes and less free time than men which impacts how and what they consume
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Women have an active role in everyday consumption as they tend to be responsible for the family’s shopping
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Women are the largest consumer group globally
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(source: Johnsson-Latham 2007, Hansson 2007)
source: Lynn Leventhal/India
Differences between women and men in terms of their consumption habits equates to differences in how much CO2 emissions for which they are each responsible.
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Meat consumption: In Denmark, men eat on average 139 grams of meat daily, while women eat 81 grams. Women eat greater quantities of fruit, greens, fish and cultured milk products (source: Danskernes Kostvaner 1995-
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Transportation patterns: Men in industrialized countries generally travel more than women. Men are more likely to own a private car, whereas women are more likely to use public transportation.
Women represent the largest consumer group on the world and have an active role in everyday consumption, since they are often responsible for a family’s shopping.
Attitudinal studies on food, sustainability and transportation show that women are more positively inclined toward environmental/climate considerations in their shopping (source: Danskernes 1995-2006)
Attitudinal studies on food, sustainability and transportation show that women are more positively inclined toward environmental/climate considerations in their shopping (source: Danskernes 1995-
source: www.greenbeltmovement.org
WANGARI MAATHAI
Winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize
Wangarai Maathai successfully implemented The Greenbelt Movement in Kenya, one of the leading worldwide climate change projects.
source:
www.oxfamamerica.org/sisters
“If women are aware, families can be saved from many losses…and the women themselves are saved from a lot of suffering.”
SAHENA BEGUM
Village Woman, Kunderpara Village, Bangladesh
Sahena Begum spearheads community efforts in her village in Bangladesh and focuses on preparing women for disasters, giving them tools and basic skills to survive and prepare for the floods and cyclones that frequent her village and that are getting increasingly worse and more unpredictable. (source: Oxfam:Sisters on the Planet)
SAHENA BEGUM
Village Woman, Kunderpara Village, Bangladesh
Sahena Begum spearheads community efforts in her village in Bangladesh and focuses on preparing women for disasters, giving them tools and basic skills to survive and prepare for the floods and cyclones that frequent her village and that are getting increasingly worse and more unpredictable. (source: Oxfam:Sisters on the Planet)
source: www.endapronat.org
Women are pivotal to the efforts to control erosion due to land degradation in the rural community of Keur Moussa ,Senegal under the framework of the Agrobio Niayes Program by ENDA Pronat.
Women are also involved in building vegetation fascines, infiltration ditches, and open trenches to slow water speed. This has not only helped to save the agriculture but also reduced the time women spend getting water and women have been able to trade herbal plants. Adaptation programs like these that specifically target and involve women allow women to develop capacity as well as increase the capacity of the communities these women support. (source: WEDO)
Women are also involved in building vegetation fascines, infiltration ditches, and open trenches to slow water speed. This has not only helped to save the agriculture but also reduced the time women spend getting water and women have been able to trade herbal plants. Adaptation programs like these that specifically target and involve women allow women to develop capacity as well as increase the capacity of the communities these women support. (source: WEDO)
source: www.oxfam.org
“we travel further and further for firewood every year, and it takes us to less safe places...”
MARTINA LONGOM
Village Woman, Karamuja, Uganda
Deforestation in Uganda amplifies already dire conditions. The local women’s group in Caicaoan addresses this problem by planting evergreen and mango trees to replace ones cut down for fuel and charcoal reducing erosion and helping people earn a living
Martina Lungom is a strong advocate of the role education can play in the fight against climate change.
“education gives us alternatives” (source: Oxfam:Sisters on the Planet)
MARTINA LONGOM
Village Woman, Karamuja, Uganda
Deforestation in Uganda amplifies already dire conditions. The local women’s group in Caicaoan addresses this problem by planting evergreen and mango trees to replace ones cut down for fuel and charcoal reducing erosion and helping people earn a living
Martina Lungom is a strong advocate of the role education can play in the fight against climate change.
“education gives us alternatives” (source: Oxfam:Sisters on the Planet)
source: blogs.oxfamamerica.org
SHARON HANSHAW
Member, Coastal Women for Change, Biloxi, Mississippi
Hurricane Katrina drove poor women further into poverty and exacerbated existing illnesses. With the help of Oxfam, Sharon Hanshaw and other women started the Coastal Women for Change which seeks to help families devastated by Katrina and to prepare for the next, inevitable storm.
Member, Coastal Women for Change, Biloxi, Mississippi
Hurricane Katrina drove poor women further into poverty and exacerbated existing illnesses. With the help of Oxfam, Sharon Hanshaw and other women started the Coastal Women for Change which seeks to help families devastated by Katrina and to prepare for the next, inevitable storm.
“ ... women’s carbon footprint has been shown to be smaller than men’s at the same time, women have led many of the most innovative responses to environmental challenges.”
MURIEL SARAGOUSSI
Environment Ministry, Brasilia, Brazil
source: Oxfam:Sisters on the Planet www.oxfamamerica.org/whatwedo/campaigns/
climate_change/sisters-
source: www.malica-
…we can’t wait until another Katrina happens
…we already have an action plan.
…we already have an action plan.
SHARON HORSHAW,
Member Coastal Women for Change (CWC)
Member Coastal Women for Change (CWC)
Limited Ownership:
Women possess a unique capacity and knowledge to promote and provide for adaptation to and mitigation of climate change, but often have insufficient resources to undertake such initiatives.
Women are constrained by a lack of economic freedoms, property and inheritance rights, as well as access to financial resources, education, and new tools, equipment, and technology.
Women are underrepresented in the development and formulation of policy and decision-making in regards to adaptations and mitigation of climate change.
Women possess a unique capacity and knowledge to promote and provide for adaptation to and mitigation of climate change, but often have insufficient resources to undertake such initiatives.
Women are constrained by a lack of economic freedoms, property and inheritance rights, as well as access to financial resources, education, and new tools, equipment, and technology.
Women are underrepresented in the development and formulation of policy and decision-
source: UNICEF/HQ95-