- Climate change debates have been shaped by stereotypic masculine discourses that alienate women and their concerns in climate change
- UNDP Kenya team leader for environment and resilience Evelyn Koech said solving the climate crisis and achieving the SDGs is possible if there is gender equality
Gender Principal Secretary Ann Wang’ombe has called for meaningful participation of women in decision-making on climate change.
Wang'ombe said climate change continues to affect sectors critical for women and girls.
The sectors, water, energy and agriculture, pose a unique threat to the livelihoods, health and safety of women and girls.
They also increase women’s unpaid care work burdens.
“The adverse effects of climate change continue to burden the poorest and most vulnerable, especially rural women. This is primarily because women are more dependent on natural resources threatened by climate change,” Wang’ombe said.
She spoke during the opening ceremony of a three-day workshop in Gigiri, Nairobi on Tuesday.
The workshop's theme is Equality in climate action: Planning for a gender inclusive future in Africa.
Climate change debates have been shaped by stereotypic masculine discourses that alienate women and their concerns in climate change.
“Climate change is widely represented as a scientific problem requiring technical solutions, yet women with expertise continue to be largely sidelined from participating in the development of such solutions. Without women’s inputs on climate change policy, climate change could itself become another barrier to gender equality,” she said.
Meaningful participation by women in decision-making around climate change requires more than the presence of women in climate change institutions and processes.
It requires attention to the deep-rooted sociocultural inequalities that act as constraints to women’s real inclusion.
To address the challenge, Wang’ombe said there is need to develop and implement policies and programmes that foster women and girls’ engagement in agro-ecological food production.
The policies will help restore biodiversity, regenerate the agro ecosystem and provide resilience against climate change and other disaster risks.
Wang’ombe said there is a need to develop solutions to combat climate change and environmental degradation based on women and girls’ indigenous, local and traditional knowledge.
Innovation and practices, particularly in the construction of sustainable food systems, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use and climate change mitigation and adaptation are also important.
“There is a need to remove legal barriers and address gender discrimination in legislation to level the playing field and enable women and girls to be at the centre of climate change adaptation and resilience strategies,” the PS said.
She said there is need to invest in the skills building of women and remove structural barriers to women’s access to stable, high-value green and blue jobs.
During the workshop, gender equality advocates warned that persistent inequalities hinder climate resilience.
UNDP Kenya team leader for environment and resilience Evelyn Koech said solving the climate crisis and achieving the SDGs is possible if there is gender equality.
“In Africa, persistent gender inequalities hinder climate resilience. Empowering women and achieving gender equality are pivotal for the systemic changes needed for a fair transition and sustainable future,” she said.
Data collected by UNDP shows that in Africa, gender is better integrated into the revised NDCs as compared to the first submissions.
“Forty of 41 African countries that submitted their updated NDC by January 1, included gender considerations, with 34 including gender considerations in relation to adaptation and 27 referring to gender in relation to mitigation. This suggests that consideration of gender in the second generation of African countries’ NDCs is a positive sign of change,” Koech said.
In Kenya, as in many countries in the region, the confluence of gender and climate change presents a significant challenge, particularly for women.
“Its socio-economic fabric, largely dependent on climate-sensitive sectors, underscores the cruciality of addressing climate change impacts. Women, in particular, bear a disproportionate burden, exacerbated by existing gender inequalities. In Kenya, women are integral to the agricultural sector, comprising approximately 75 per cent of the agricultural labour force in small-scale agriculture,” Koech said.
Despite their significant contributions, women face numerous barriers, including limited access to land, financial resources and decision-making processes.
“In fact, only around 10 per cent of land titles are issued to women and a similar fraction of agricultural credit goes to them. This disparity not only undermines women's economic empowerment but also their capacity to adapt to climate-related adversities,” Koech said.
She said women's deep knowledge of local natural resources positions them as essential stakeholders in climate action.
Their involvement in adaptation and mitigation strategies is crucial for development of sustainable and inclusive solutions.
However, societal norms and unequal access to resources and information limit their participation.
Koech said addressing the gendered impacts of climate change in Kenya involves a comprehensive approach that includes enhancing women's access to land and resources, promoting gender equity in agricultural productivity, and ensuring women's participation in climate change decision-making.