Gender and Climate Change Why Women’s Perspectives Matter January 2009

Outline What is Climate Change Why Gender and Climate Change Impacts of Climate Change on Gender Women are essential to climate solutions What is WEDO doing

Source: IPCC, 2007

Figure 3.1 Source: IPCC, 2007

Source: Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED)

Woman coping with flooded homestead Source: WEDO/ ActionAid Bangladesh, “Gender, Climate Change and Human Security”, 2008 Climate change is not gender neutral WEDO 2008

Gender inequalities remain pervasive in most of the world Of the 1.3 billion people living in the deepest levels poverty worldwide, the majority are women (~70%) Women work 2/3 rd ’s of the world’s hours Women produce 1/2 the world’s food; in rural areas, women produce 60-80% of staple crops And yet, women earn only 10% of the world’s income and own less than 2% of property

Climate change worsens gender inequities Feminization of poverty and gendered divisions of labor  clear differences in how climate change impacts women and men, and their respective capacities for coping Existing conditions and existing discrimination determine who is most impacted by “natural” disasters

Climate Change CROP FAILURE FUEL SHORTAGE SHORTAGE OF SAFE, CLEAN WATER RESOURCE SCARCITY NATURAL DISASTERS DISEASE DISPLACE-MENT CIVIL WAR / CONFLICT Impacts on women Household food provision; Increased agricultural work Household fuel provision; food-fuel conflicts Household water provision; exposure to contaminated sources Economic drawbacks; lack of land tenure; resource-dependent livelihoods; school dropouts, early marriage Greater incidence of mortality; reduction of life expectancy Lack of access to healthcare; increased burden of caring for young, sick and elderly Loss of livelihoods; lack of adequate shelter; conflicts Loss of livelihoods and lives; sexual violence and trauma WEDO 2008 The Impacts of Climate Change on Women

Insecure livelihoods: i.e. reduced crop yield Increased burden on household: i.e. more time collecting water, food, fuel Less time for education, income-generation Unsustainable coping strategies: i.e. deforestation; migration; conflict Environmental instabilities: i.e. drought/ floods Example of exacerbated cycle of poverty for women Climate Change Exacerbates the Cycle of Poverty WEDO 2008

Women’s Adaptive Capacity Women have been adapting to swift environmental changes for decades. Climate change introduces a new constraint on their capacity to adapt The flood pattern has changed a lot…The laws that used to hold earlier are no more there. We are not able to understand the strange things God is showing us… When summer is supposed to be over and monsoon is supposed to begin, the fields are still burning with heat. But by the time the rain starts and we try to sow seeds, by then there is flood. We are engulfed by trouble from all sides. Komela Khatun, 56, female headed household, Char Banktarpur, Pabna. Source: Gender, Climate Change and Human Security by WEDO and ELIAMAP WEDO 2008

Why Women are Essential Women were the first to find potable water during a prolonged drought in Micronesia Wangari Maathai successfully implemented the Greenbelt Movement, now one of the leading worldwide climate change projects Women’s coping ability is often a measure of their community’s capacity to adapt.

Why Women are Essential cont’d When women are leaders they can address the specific needs of the women and their families. Kunderpara Village, Bangladesh—Sahena Begum “If women are aware then families can be saved from many losses…. and the women themselves are saved from a lot of suffering.” Oxfam 2008 Sisters on the Planet video

Why Women are Essential cont’d When financing programs for climate change adaptation have specific parameters for women, women are able to lead their communities in increased adaptive capacity WEDO 2008

Why Women are Essential cont’d Women who are active in policy advocacy can influence effective, gender-responsive legislation in their local governments. Khawla Al Sheikh explains that her role in alleviating the scarcity of water is important because “only a woman can sell to a woman” and she believes that that’s why her initiative has been successful. =success

Source: Kushal Gangopadhyay, 1999, West Bengal, India UNCCD Gender & climate change: The global policy framework

Gender & Climate Change Every major global agreement now includes a gender component: United Nations charter (1945) Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1948) Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (1979) Convention on Biodiversity (1992) Chapter 24 of Agenda 21 (UNCED 1992) World Conference on Human Rights (1993) International Conference on Population and Development (1994) Convention to Combat Desertification (1994) World Summit for Social Development (1995) Beijing Platform for Action (1995) Millennium Declaration (2000) Johannesburg Plan of Action (2002) Hyogo Framework for Action (2005)

Gender & Climate Change Except one: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ◦ Kyoto Protocol

Gender & climate change Seeking a rights-based, gender-sensitive approach to climate change decision-making, financing and implementation of activities; challenging market-based “solutions” and mobilizing women as leaders Woman gathering firewood in drought stricken area, Ethiopia. Source: UN/ E. Debebe

WEDO’s Gender and Climate Change Initiative WEDO’s Gender and Climate Change Initiative advocates for the inclusion of gender through these projects and campaigns ◦ National Advocacy Project ◦ Women in Governance for Climate Change ◦ Case studies on Gender and Adaptation Financing ◦ Women Demand U.S. Action on Climate Change campaign

National Advocacy Project Partnering with women’s organizations, environmental and/or development organizations, and government representatives in developing countries; WEDO and our partners seek to incorporate gender into climate change policies, particularly adaptation plans and implementation of activities

National Advocacy Project Phase I countries: Ghana, Senegal, Nepal, Trinidad-and-Tobago, and Suriname Activities of this project ◦ Conduct country case studies with partners ◦ Develop Action Plans for each country

Women in Governance for Climate Change WEDO is identifying women leaders and asking them to make a commitment to gender and climate change in their own work. Third Global Congress of Women in Politics and Governance ◦ WEDO and several others partnered on a conference for women leaders on Gender in Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction ◦ Manila Declaration for Global Action on Gender in Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction

Gender and Adaptation Financing WEDO is challenging the dominant approach to climate change adaptation and mitigation that prioritizes market-based solutions over policies that will protect the most vulnerable. At this year’s UNFCCC Conference on Parties WEDO presented a report on Gender and Adaptation Financing.

Women Demand U.S. Action on Climate Change Campaign Recognizing the influence the United States has on international climate change negotiations WEDO launched this campaign to mobilize U.S. women to advocate for U.S. legislation on climate change domestically and U.S. participation in climate change negotiations internationally

Women Demand U.S. Action on Climate Change Campaign Activities of this project ◦ Provide partners and activists with gender and climate change educational and advocacy tools ◦ Engage women activists in climate change advocacy activities ◦ Connect partners to global gender and climate change advocacy efforts through ‘From Katrina to Copenhagen’ events

Bringing Women to Global Climate Change Negotiations WEDO is also a founding member of the Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA) The GGCA was formed in December 2007 after the Bali talks with IUCN, UNDP, and UNEP to ensure that climate change policies, decision-making, and initiatives at the global, regional, and national levels are gender responsive As a member of the GGCA WEDO will bring lessons learned from our national projects to the global arena to influence global climate change policy and decision-making

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