GENDER & CLIMATE CHANGE

Women are powerful agents of change, as well as innovators in response to environmental changes. Women’s responsibilities in households, communities, and as stewards of natural resources position them well to develop strategies for adapting to changing environmental realities. In the wake of Hurricane Mitch in Honduras, the town of La Masica reported no deaths in comparison to other nearby communities affected by the disasters. This was attributed to the fact that women had been trained just six months before to manage the early warning system and to ensure a safe evacuation.(1) In addition, during a drought in Micronesia local leaders discovered that, although women were not normally involved in governance issues, their knowledge of island hydrology allowed for the identification of new wells that reached freshwater.(2) In many cases like these, incorporating a gender perspective and women’s participation into climate change initiatives can save lives.

The impacts of climate change will be differently distributed between various groups, and this is particularly true between poor women and men in developing countries. Mortality rates for women and men are often different in natural disasters. A 2006 study of 141 natural disasters by the London School of Economics found that when economic and social rights are fulfilled for both sexes, the same number of women and men die in disasters.(3) At the same time, when women do not enjoy economic and social rights equal to men, more women than men die in disasters. This gender discrepancy has come to light in a range of major disasters, including the Asian Tsunami; Hurricane Mitch, Hurricane Katrina, and other storms in the Americas; European heat waves; and cyclones in South Asia, etc. In some cases, such as in Central America, more men than women have died in natural disasters having placed themselves at risk to survive and help their families.

Research on such disasters has provided evidence that existing inequalities determine who is most impacted by natural disasters. When swift environmental changes arise, existing inequalities are magnified and traditional gender roles are reinforced. Historic disadvantages, including restricted access to resources, information, and decision-making, result in heavier burdens for women during and after natural disasters. Women in developing countries are largely responsible for securing food, water, and energy for cooking and heating. Drought, desertification, and erratic rainfall result in women having to work even harder to secure these resources, leaving them with less time to earn income, get an education, or provide care to their families.

Of the three major multilateral environmental agreements, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the only agreement with no mention of gender. However, there are innumerable global mandates calling for integrating a gender perspective into environmental and poverty reduction efforts that also apply to climate change. This includes agreements that deal with sustainable development and environment, human rights, gender equality, and disaster risk reduction, all of which contribute to a global policy framework on climate change and gender equality, as follows.

Sustainable development and environment agreements that contribute to the global policy framework on climate change and gender equality include:
•Johannesburg Plan of Action (2002)
•Millennium Declaration (2000)
•World Summit for Social Development (1995)
•International Conference on Population and Development (1994)
•Convention to Combat Desertification (1994)
•Convention on Biodiversity (1992)
•Agenda 21 (UN Conference on Environment and Development 1992)

Human rights agreements that contribute to the global policy framework on climate change and gender equality include:
•UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007)
•World Conference on Human Rights (1993)
•International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)
•International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966)
•Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)

Gender equality agreements and resolutions that contribute to the global policy framework on climate change and gender equality include:
•Review and Appraisal of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Commission on the Status of Women 2005)
•ECOSOC Resolution 2005/31
•Beijing Platform for Action (4th World Conference on Women 1995)
•Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979)

Disaster risk reduction agreements and meetings that contribute to the global policy framework on climate change and gender equality include:
•Hyogo Framework for Action (World Conference on Disaster Reduction 2005)
•Expert Group Meeting on “Environmental Management and the Mitigation of Natural Disasters: A Gender Perspective” (ISDR/DAW, Ankara, 2001)

For further information, see GGCA resources.

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