3 ways women are impacted by climate change, and what they can bring to climate change action.
According to the UN, about 80% of people displaced by climate change are women. In this article, we explore how women and girls have been impacted by climate change and why they’re essential in the fight against it.
Why women are heavily impacted by climate change
The impact of climate change is felt by everyone, not least half the population who happen to be women and girls. Climate change exacerbates gender inequality, and this must be taken into account when building humanitarian responses.
Finding food and water is harder
In the countries most affected by climate change, women often work in agriculture and are responsible for finding food and water for their families. In fact, there are approximately 771 million women drinking dirty water, walking miles upon miles with heavy jerry cans on their backs. And it’s only getting worse. Because when food and water are scarce, they often have to work harder to keep their families afloat and often eat less.
Girls’ education suffer
When agriculture is affected by floods or droughts, family members may have to go to the city to work. Girls are often called upon to help with domestic chores and miss school, or are unable to attend school due to climate change-related disasters.
Violence against women and girls in displacement
In the event of displacement due to climate change, women and girls are vulnerable to sexual violence in the camps. Girls are also at greater risk of child marriage, often seen as a way to ensure that they are fed and safe.
What can they bring to climate change action
Yes, women and girls are more vulnerable to climate change. But they’re also keys to create community-led action and bring new perspectives.
Produce more food with less carbon emissions
Women make up the majority of smallholder farmers, but they often produce less due to lack of access to funds and a lack of education on farming practices. Improving women's productivity could allow more food to be produced on existing land, thus avoiding deforestation and carbon emissions.
Women’s education can impact carbon emissions
Slowing population growth could lead to a reduction of 68.9 billion tonnes of carbon by 2050. One way to achieve this is through women's education: higher levels of education are closely linked to having fewer children. When women gain access to education, they share their knowledge with their communities: SeaWomen, an organization that teaches women biology to monitor coral reefs, has stated that "when you train a woman, you train a society".
Women in tech contribute to innovation fighting climate change
The study shows that women are more engaged in technology: they champion a cause and this has an impact on their work. The study argues that greater involvement of women in the innovation process would help develop the technologies needed to tackle climate change.
