Originally published on the CGS blog on June 11, 2014.
Climate change has been framed in many ways: as an environmental issue, a public health issue, an economic issue, a sustainable development issue…what is rarely acknowledged, however, is that climate change is also a women’s rights issue.
But how can climate change be misogynistic?
In poor countries around the world, a disproportionate amount of household responsibility falls on women and girls; namely the tasks of providing water, food, and resources for heating and cooking. Moreover, most small-scale farmers are, in fact, women–particularly in developing countries, where men typically leave home to find employment. In these roles, women become especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change (such as drought, soil erosion, and deforestation), as well as the effects of a lack of political power and economic independence.
A poignant example of this occurs in refugee camps in Darfur, where women walk as many as seven hours three to five times a week in order to find firewood. Leaving the camps makes women vulnerable to violence, sexual assault, and starvation, as many are forced to use the very food they hope to cook as payment for fuel. This reliance on firewood and other types of traditional fuel also affects climate change, as it leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. While steps have been taken to address this particular issue (most notably with the creation of a fuel efficient stove) this is only one of many issues connected both to climate change and to gender inequality.
But while women are victims of climate change, they are also at the forefront of working to combat it. All over the world, women are leading the way in developing innovative, sustainable practices that address not only climate change but also its effects on women. However, this by itself will not solve climate change or create gender equality. To accomplish these goals, the world must reach a collaborative, sustainable agreement on climate change, as well as increase the rights of women around the world.
It is only by working together – as nations and as people of all genders – that we can begin to fully address these issues.
