The conference in Bali has been big news. I would like to draw your attention to the gendered impacts of climate change. As women constitute the majority of the poor, have less access to basic rights and resources like education and land, and are more dependent on natural resources for survival, they are disproportionately vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This report by IDS and Action Aid urges for appropriate adaptation funds and projects to acknowledge the gender dimension of climate change and to incorporate women’s needs and participation into project management. Here’s an excerpt:
Despite limited resources, information and support, evidence from this research proves women in poor areas have started to adapt to a changing climate and can clearly articulate what they need to secure and sustain their livelihoods more effectively. Their priorities include a safe place to live and store their harvest and livestock during the monsoon season; better access to services such as agricultural extension; training and information about adaptation strategies and livelihood alternatives; and access to resources to implement effective strategies and overcome constraints.
Adaptation funds must play a key role in promoting women’s rights. There is now increasing recognition that mitigation efforts will not be enough to secure social and economic progress in the face of climate change. Rich countries responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming are under mounting pressure to fund adaptation. Consequently,
additional sources of financial and technical assistance are emerging to support adaptation processes in the Least Developed Countries (LDC) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).Yet there is little evidence of specific efforts to target women in adaptation activities funded as part of bilateral and multilateral programmes. Moreover, despite their disproportionate burden, the voices of poor women are seldom heard in UN negotiations on climate change and adaptation processes. For adaptation funding to be effective and efficient, as well as equitable, it is crucial that poor women are fully involved, and that their experiences and needs are reflected and prioritised in both policies and interventions for adaptation to climate change.
