Put women at the forefront in climate change talks - expert

Gender experts have called for the inclusion of more women in climate change negotiations.   

The experts said globally, 80 per cent of people displaced by floods are women making them the biggest bearers of climate change burden.

CGIAR Gender Impact Platform evidence module leader Ranjitha Puskur said climate change impacts people differently.

She said in agriculture and food systems, about 45 to 80 per cent of the workforce are women. In addition, women are dependent on natural resources for food, fuel/firewood and water.

Puskur spoke during a media science cafe on gender and climate change organised by Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture in Kenya.

Mesha is an association of journalists and communicators who have specialised in science reporting.

“Gender inequality coupled with the climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time. It poses threats to ways of life, livelihoods, health, safety and security for women and girls around the world,” a report by UN Women said.

The UN agency said climate crisis is not gender neutral because women and girls experience the greatest impacts of climate change.

This amplifies existing gender inequalities and poses unique threats to their livelihoods, health and safety.

“Across the world, women are depended on more, yet have less access to, natural resources. In many regions, women bear a disproportionate responsibility for securing food, water and fuel. Agriculture is the most important employment sector for women in low- and lower-middle income countries,” it said.

“During periods of drought and erratic rainfall, women, as agricultural workers and primary procurers, work harder to secure income and resources for their families. This puts added pressure on girls, who often have to leave school to help their mothers manage the increased burden.”

Puskur said women are responsible for food and nutrition security yet they eat last and the least which is not healthy.

“60 per cent of the malnourished people in the world are women. Women also depend on natural resources for fuel and water, and are responsible for collecting water for the household,” she said.

In addition, due to the climate crisis, women have to walk much longer to fetch water and firewood as forests disappear and degrade.

The gender expert said in order to bounce back after a climate shock and stresses, women need to have adaptive capacity.

The adaptive capacity is determined by access to productive resources such as land, financial credit, technologies and advisory services.

She urged the media to include gender aspects in telling climate change stories as the impacts are different for women, men and children.

“Climate change effects are not neutral, and it should not be reported that way. The bottom line is climate change affects men and women differently, and we need to recognise this and talk about it,” said Puskur.

Climate-Smart Agriculture and Policy, International Livestock Research Institute scientist John Recha said women make up nearly half of the agricultural labour force in developing countries.

He said when provided with same access to resources as men, women can increase agricultural yields from their farms by between 20 to 30 percent.

“This boost in productivity not only improves total agricultural output but also helps to reduce wild hunger,” Recha said.

“Around a crisis, in most cases women are usually the first respondents within the community to natural disasters. Secondly, they are leaders in disaster and risk reduction hence end up becoming much more important as an asset in the community."

He said women contribute to post recovery by addressing early recovery needs of their immediate families.

This therefore, he said, ends up helping in strengthening community recovery during climate crisis events.

“By involving women in community planning and response efforts, we can build stronger and more resilient communities that are better equipped to deal with climate variability,” he said.

Recha urged journalists to give sex disaggregated data around men and women when reporting.

This is in addition to giving specific examples of case studies, or quotes that come from the champions.