Date : 06/09/2023

Relevance: GS Paper 3 - Society- Women Empowerment

Keywords: SDG, International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), Gender Inclusive Planning

Context-

• Climate change, one of the most pressing global challenges, affects different populations unevenly, depending on location, socioeconomic status, and gender. Women, particularly in developing and low-income nations, experience a disproportionate impact due to their reliance on natural resources and labor-intensive livelihoods.
• Here we look into the multifaceted vulnerabilities faced by women in emerging countries concerning climate change, substantiating key points with numeric data, facts, and real-world examples.

Vulnerabilities of Women in Emerging Countries

Gender equality and environmental goals are mutually reinforcing and create a virtuous circle that will help accelerate the achievement of the SDGs.

• Economic Vulnerability: Women in low-income regions bear a substantial financial burden due to their roles in securing food, water, and unpaid household labor. Climate change compounds these challenges. For instance, a study by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2019 projected that by 2030, high temperatures could lead to a loss of 2.2% of total working hours worldwide, equivalent to 80 million full-time jobs.
• Rural Women: Climate change disproportionately affects rural women who often travel long distances daily to collect water and fuel, putting them at increased risk for health and safety issues. In these scenarios, women's contributions to family well-being become even more critical.
• Occupational Vulnerability: Many women in emerging countries are engaged in climate-vulnerable sectors such as agriculture and labor-intensive work. Over 60% of working women in southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are employed in agriculture, according to the ILO. These jobs are characterized by low pay and overwork.
• Land Ownership: Despite their vital role in food production, women own only about 10% of the land used for farming. This disparity in land ownership limits their economic security and resilience to climate-related challenges.
• Displacement and Exploitation: When climate-related disasters strike, women and girls constitute a significant majority (around 80%) of those displaced. Following such events, women face a heightened risk of exploitation, trafficking, and gender-based violence. An example is the aftermath of the 2015 Nepal earthquake when the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reported increased vulnerability among women to trafficking and exploitation. Additionally, separation from social networks, a higher risk of gender-based violence, and decreased access to employment, education, and essential health services, such as sexual and reproductive health care and psychosocial support, are just some gender-specific issues women face.
• Impact on Agriculture and Food Security: Climate change has severe consequences for agricultural productivity and food security. Rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events negatively affect crop production. Women engaged in agriculture often lack access to quality resources, education, and technology, making them more vulnerable to these impacts. According to the United Nations, 60% of the world's hungry and malnourished are women. Gender disparities in access to food, healthcare, and education make girls and women more susceptible to malnutrition and stunting.

The Vital Role of Women in Climate Action

• Empowering women leads to better climate solutions: Women constitute nearly half of the agricultural workforce in developing countries. When granted equal access to resources, women can increase agricultural yields by 20 to 30 percent, resulting in a 2.5 to 4 percent rise in total agricultural output and a 12 to 17 percent reduction in world hunger, as reported by the UN. Investing in women's participation in agriculture can promote sustainability and climate adaptation while alleviating poverty.
• Women are essential for community climate resilience: Women play a critical role in building climate resilience within communities. The UN emphasizes that communities achieve greater success in resilience and capacity-building strategies when women are involved in planning. Women often serve as first responders during natural disasters, lead disaster risk-reduction efforts, and contribute to post-disaster recovery by addressing the early recovery needs of their families and strengthening community cohesion.
• Knowledge and Expertise: Women possess invaluable traditional knowledge and skills related to natural resource management, agriculture, and conservation. Their deep understanding of local ecosystems and sustainable practices can significantly enhance the development and implementation of effective climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.
• Advocacy and Leadership: Women-led organizations and movements have played a pivotal role in raising awareness, advocating for policy changes, and promoting sustainable practices. By increasing the representation of women in decision-making roles, we can ensure that climate policies and initiatives are more inclusive, equitable, and impactful.
• Impact on International Agreements: Countries with higher female representation in parliament are more inclined to endorse international environmental agreements and implement stringent climate policies. Additionally, women's leadership within workplaces has shown a positive correlation with increased transparency regarding environmental footprints and the disclosure of emissions.

• Sustainable Energy Access: Access to clean and affordable energy is essential for both mitigating climate change and improving livelihoods. Women, particularly in developing nations, are disproportionately affected by energy poverty. Engaging women in the transition to renewable energy sources like solar and wind power can lead to more inclusive and sustainable solutions.
• Promotion of Sustainable Lifestyles: Women often play a pivotal role in household consumption decisions, making them influential drivers of sustainable choices. By championing eco-friendly practices within their families and communities, women can contribute significantly to reducing carbon footprints and fostering a culture of sustainability.

Way Forward

• Investing in Women's Education and Training: According to estimates, 130 million people could be pushed into poverty by 2050 due to climate change risks, natural disasters, and food inflation, impacting women’s inequality. When it comes to adjusting to a changing climate, women have a lot to offer.
• To build resilience to climate change and reduce its negative impacts on living standards, investments in women's education, training, and access to resources are crucial. Training women in sustainable agriculture, water management, and clean energy generation can empower them to adapt to changing climate patterns and improve their financial stability. Initiatives like the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) in India offer valuable lessons in this regard. It teaches women farmers how to respond to shifting climate patterns to support themselves better financially.
• Gender-Inclusive Climate Policy: Women's active participation in climate policy decision-making at all levels is essential for effective mitigation and adaptation strategies. Given their heightened vulnerability, gender parity in decision-making bodies is critical. Programs like the Gender and Climate Change Development Programme in South Asia aim to amplify women's voices in policymaking. Globally, similar efforts are required for efficient climate change adaptation and mitigation. We can say that developing and emerging countries urgently need women-led climate action.
• Representation in policy-making bodies: As women gain more representation within decision-making bodies, countries are beginning to develop gender action plans that combine climate action with efforts to improve gender equality.
• International financing funds like the Green Climate Fund now require grant applications to detail how women will be incorporated into a program, and groups like the International Fund for Agricultural Development prioritize women farmers affected by climate change.
• Gender-Specific Planning: Funding organizations and donors should also take into account women-specific circumstances when developing and introducing technologies related to climate change adaptation and try their best to remove the economic, social, and cultural barriers that could constrain women from benefiting and making use of them.

Involving women in the development of new technologies can ensure that they are adaptive, appropriate, and sustainable.

At national levels, efforts should be made to mainstream gender perspectives into national policies and strategies, as well as related sustainable development and climate change plans and interventions.

Conclusion

In emerging countries, women's pivotal role in climate action is underscored by their unique vulnerabilities and contributions. Empowering women through education, training, and gender-inclusive policies is essential for building resilience to climate change and achieving sustainable development goals. Women-led climate action is not just a necessity but also a catalyst for addressing one of the most significant challenges of our time. By 2050, climate change risks, natural disasters, and food inflation could push 130 million people into poverty, disproportionately impacting women's inequality. Thus, investing in women's empowerment becomes an imperative step towards a more sustainable and equitable future.

Source - The Hindu, UNO report