Gender equality is essential for us to be able to mitigate climate change impacts
2016 Paris Agreement on Climate Change
By: Twongirwe Ireen
Worth Noting:
- Despite women being disproportionately affected by climate change, they play crucial role in climate change adaptation and mitigation. Women have the knowledge and understanding of what is needed to adapt to changing environmental conditions and come up with practical solutions.
- During cop26 summit last year, countries agreed that to mark commitment to protect natural habitants such as forests, and to end deforestation by 2030. This seems to be impossible if we continue excluding women from participating in climate change solutions. To achieve all the recommendations in Paris agreement, women need to be at the forefront.
- We also need to involve women to plant trees, fruits such as mango trees, oranges, papaws especially in their home gardens/ compounds this will help in promotion of green economy and reduction of carbon gas emissions.
Gender equality is a human right, and it’s when people of all gender have equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities. It’s important to note that everyone is affected by gender inequality, women, men, trans and gender diverse people, children, and families. Gender equality impacts people of all ages and background.
Naturally, we need to know that there are some activities women do and men cannot do and vise-vas. However, it’s clear that some activities are done by both genders for social economic development. But just because people are still following the traditional norms, there comes the issue of gender inequality which we are trying to address.
Why is gender equality an issue?
Globally, women have fewer opportunities for economic participation than men, less access to basic and higher education, safety risks and less political representation. Gender inequality such as weak rights to own land, reduced access to energy, water and sanitation facilities for women, have a negative impact on human health, environment and sustainable development.
Gender equality will enable utilization of natural resources, reduced gender based violence, peace and stable communities, and it will also contribute to climate change solutions.
Today, women hold 20-24%of jobs in renewable energy, so there is need for gender equality in green sector jobs, we need to support girls, young women as agents of change in pursuit of sustainable development and equitable climate action, invest in girl’s education to foster climate participation and leadership. Gender equality is achieved when women, men, girls and boys have equal rights, condition and opportunities and power to shape their lives and contribute to the development of the society.
Gender as a solution to climate change impacts.
Despite women being disproportionately affected by climate change, they play crucial role in climate change adaptation and mitigation. Women have the knowledge and understanding of what is needed to adapt to changing environmental conditions and come up with practical solutions.
During cop26 summit last year, countries agreed that to mark commitment to protect natural habitants such as forests, and to end deforestation by 2030. This seems to be impossible if we continue excluding women from participating in climate change solutions. To achieve all the recommendations in Paris agreement, women need to be at the forefront. We also need to involve women to plant trees, fruits such as mango trees, oranges, papaws especially in their home gardens/ compounds this will help in promotion of green economy and reduction of carbon gas emissions.
More so, we need to know that women are innovators and so they play important role in climate change solutions. Since there are the bread givers of families, responsible to provide food so they will try by all means to adapt from natural calamities like drought, floods , global warming hence reducing on climate impacts.
However, Climate finance should be accessible to both men and women and designed to generate mutual benefit. Women have proven to be leading the way towards more equitable and sustainable solutions to climate change sectors, women’s innovations and expertise have transformed lives, livelihoods and increased climate resilience.
In fact, evidence reveals that there is a correlation between environment and gender, When gender inequality is high, forest depletion, air pollution , climate change impacts and other measures of environmental degradations are also high.
Climate change impacts people differently based on their roles and responsibilities, which are often defined by gender. For example, in agriculture sector, in many countries, men typically are responsible for commercial crops whereas women are responsible for substance crops that feed the family. In this case, women are not allowed to plant trees because men think that their land is going to be taken and this has been a barrier to climate change solutions.
It’s also noted that climate change aggravates the effect of population growth, urbanization, without serious adaptation, climate change is likely to kill to push millions further into poverty, limit the opportunities for sustainable development and for people to escape from poverty. In the same vain, women can be the change makers of this. Once there are being involved in negotiation round tables, decision making, they have brilliant ideas that can save us from climate change impacts.
Furthermore, gender equality is a center element of climate justice. Women, girls, will continue to be vulnerable to the effects of climate change and environmental degradation. And so their voices shouldn’t be left behind.
In conclusion, Climate change is one of the pressing issues of our time which threatens the lives and livelihoods of billions of people, natural disaster, environmental degradation, extreme weather partner disrupt harvest , deplete fisheries, erode livelihoods and spur infectious diseases. Once ignored, we shall not have environment once again.
Climate change is real act now.
For God and my country,
Twongirwe Ireen
Executive director, women for Green Economy Movement Uganda.
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Brenda Holo