Gender equality and climate change- why it matters? (Part 2)

This is the second part of a guest article series written by Dr. Bageshree. Here you go!

In the first part of this article, we discussed the unique challenges women face due to climate change, from their vulnerability to extreme weather events like droughts and floods to the disproportionate impact on their livelihoods and health along with systemic barrier which exacerbate these vulnerabilities. With this understanding in place, the second part will focus on why addressing these issues is crucial for resilience and how gender equality can play a key role in driving effective climate action.

When we achieve gender equality:

More resilient women mean more resilient societies. Multiple reports from the UN and other researches have unanimously agreed on role of women in building more sustainable, just and resilient societies. When women are in their full potential, societies recover faster and build stronger.

1. A study of 219 countries (1970-2009) found that each extra year of education for women reduces child mortality by 9.5%.
2. Women’s empowerment contributed to 55% of food security improvements in developing countries between 1970 and 1995.
3. Giving women the same access to resources as men could boost farm yields by 20-30%, feeding 100 to 150 million more people.
4. Equal resource access for women farmers could reduce global hunger by 12-17% and cut carbon emissions by 2.1 gigatons by 2050.
5. More women in leadership roles are linked to greater focus on sustainability and climate issues.
6. A study of disasters in 141 countries (1981-2002) showed that where women and men had equal rights, there was not much difference between death rates among men and women.
7. In full potential scenario in which women play an identical role in labor markets to that of men, as much as 28 trillion USD, or 26%, could be added to global annual GDP by 2025.
8. Companies with a higher proportion of women in board leadership roles have been shown to generate 36.4% higher return on equity than those without it, while companies with more women in executive roles were 21% more profitable.
9. Research shows that countries with more women in parliament are more likely to sign international environmental treaties and implement strong climate policies.
10. Women and girls, from students to celebrities, have been leading global climate movements, driving urgent action, where women in government take more sustainable actions to combat climate change, contributing to a resilient future.
11. At the household level, women are often the first one taking action, and all over the world women are showing incredible resilience when it comes to disaster preparedness, mitigation and building resilience. They play a key role in climate action by influencing their families and communities.

What can we do?

Women constitute half of the world’s population and hence half of the world’s potential. They are often left out of decision-making. The experiences women face shape their personalities, capabilities and perspectives differently. Including the potential of this population in decision-making can push global efforts to fight climate change. Being ready for climate change means acknowledging the gendered impacts of climate change. A gender-responsive approach to any problem should revolve around, what is needed, why it is needed, who needs it, who decides, and who benefits. Gender equality is about equal rights, responsibilities, opportunities and participation in decision-making.

At institutional level:

1. Women, girls and other sexual and gender minorities inclusion in all stages of planning is crucial to address gender specific climate vulnerabilities along with development of inclusive climate adaption plans. Instead of viewing them merely as beneficiaries, consider them as agents of change, developing a culture of planning with them rather than for them.
2. Global recognition of women’s roles in climate adaptation is growing, with about 29% of National Adaptation Plans now featuring gender responsiveness, compared to none in 2018.
3. Investing in a multisectoral, multistakeholder and participatory Gender Action Plan helps integrate women's unique perspectives and knowledge into climate action. This approach builds capacity in key areas like agriculture, education, and health, ensuring more comprehensive and effective solutions to address climate change.
4. Targeted policies for women inclusion in green transition to ensure women have access to green jobs, decision making roles, and where they are invited and encouraged for participation will enhance economic opportunities for them and boost innovation and diversity in sustainable approaches.
5. Gender budgeting is a vital approach that applies a gender lens to financial planning, ensuring that resource allocation directly addresses gender disparities and enhances gender equality. Gender budgeting can help ensure that women have equitable access to climate-resilient infrastructure, support services, and financial resources, like subsidies or insurance schemes, that can enhance their resilience to climate impacts.
6. Investing in research by gathering gender-disaggregated data to understand how climate impacts vary by gender, can shape more inclusive policies.
7. Family-friendly policies, like flexible work hours, parental leave, and affordable childcare, promote a balanced work-life culture. They support all genders in sharing caregiving responsibilities, reducing inequality, increasing productivity, and improving satisfaction across the workforce.

At individual level:

1. When household work is shared equally, women can get more free time for productive activities, which helps in closing gender gap in both household duties and workforce participation.
2. Conduct surveys within your organization or workplace to understand the unique needs of women and address them. It is important to acknowledge that the needs of men and women can be different, and by accepting this, we recognize that both genders are equally capable and efficient in their work.
3. Redefine what it means to be a man and a woman to cope up with the negative norms imposed on each gender. “Asli Mard (Real man)” ideologies encourage risky and undesirable heroism, especially in a disaster, make men less likely to seek counselling, raise level of domestic violence, increasing already heightened difficulties for women.
4. Just as climate change, gender is also complex. Be sensitive towards all genders including LGBTQIA+ who often face discrimination and denied help in case of emergencies. Encourage all genders, understand the perspectives and recognize the needs. Gender equality is a powerful climate action which is also listed in sustainable development goal number five.
5. Just as your family’s needs during a disaster are unique, so are the needs of families in different regions and with varying socio-economic backgrounds. It’s important to find ways to help, create new systems, and rethink your organizational structure to address these differences.
6. Above all, just feel free to ask this simple question every time you plan or do something which will guide you to the right decision: “What do you think about it?”

Climate change is not a distant issue; it’s happening now, and everyone must be ready for it. Achieving gender equality strengthens our collective ability to confront and adapt to these challenges, ensuring a more resilient future for all.

I Imagine a setting where everyone is equal, where world is hunger free, where children are safe, where there is peace and where earth is in prosperity. This may seem pretentious, but if you don’t dream it, you can’t achieve it.

Be prepared. Be vigilant. Be supportive. Be proactive. Do your part.

Engage in climate action.