Why is global warming not gender neutral?

Climate change is a defining threat to peace and security in the 21st century. Its impacts are felt everywhere through natural disasters, displacement, food, and water insecurity. All over the world, global warming is causing tons of victims. However, it is not a secret anymore that Global South countries and vulnerable communities experience a greater impact of the climate crisis. So, what about girls and women living in regions prone to environmental disasters such as sub-Saharan Africa or Southeast Asia?

Authoress: Alizée Lambin (@alizlb)

copyrights: "Collecting water" by CIFOR is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

As we all know, the main objective of the various Conferences of the Parties to the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP) is to find and negotiate new measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Multiple commitments are undertaken to promote a pro-climate future in all spheres that make up our society. This makes sense when you realize that global warming is a "threat multiplier", meaning it intensifies social, political, and economic tensions in weak and conflicted places. Therefore, pledges must continue to be thought out, more needs to be done in the climate agenda and especially regarding the intersection between environmental collapse and gender equality. At each COPs, women's and feminist organizations are present, disseminate recommendations, highlight "gender and climate solutions" contributing to environmental justice. There are no more doubts, as more and more data and research revealed that, women’s security and empowerment are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis.

A traditional housework role

Concretely, how does global warming make women specifically vulnerable? The answer can be found in a combination of factors, including unequal power-dynamics, discriminatory laws and policies, socio-economic and traditional status of the women.

Women in many cultures hold the primary responsibility for agriculture, collecting water, fuel, and food for their families. As these resources become scarcer and harder to access due to climate change, women are often forced to walk longer distances, disrupting them from education and endangering them. During extreme weather events such as droughts, girls will likely be asked to stay at home to help with the household, which will cause a significant absenteeism from school or from income generating activities.

While collecting these resources, they also must face greater risks of diseases and physical violence, especially in conflict-affected areas. The case of the Sahel, a fragile zone in the face of climate change, as well as threatened by jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and Al Qaïda, is particularly relevant. Last January in Northern Burkina Faso, sixty-two women and four babies were kidnapped by jihadist groups as they were collecting water and food for the village. They were eventually released, but these kinds of events are increasing all over the world. As women and girls become more and more dependent on weather patterns, they risk their lives.

Woman, the care takers

Adding to that, women and girls are usually perceived as the care takers of their families and communities. This means that they must bear the brunt of the consequences of environmental degradation. When natural catastrophes strike, saving their own life is not a priority as they must look after the elderlies and the children during and in the aftermath of a disaster. A chore that does not belong to men and which usually induces a higher women’s mortality rate in rural places than the other sex.

In Sahel, “Girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence”, said Marie-Poirier, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa. For instance, when population movements take place due to weather disruptions, children are often separated from their parents. Older girls find themselves in child protection roles, with disproportionate responsibilities. Any attempt to develop their lives a little better are therefore swept away, especially if they had other ambitions for their futures.

Victims of a discriminatory vision

As deeply rooted in the DNA of society, gender-based inequality and discrimination between the sexes has always been the vector of disparities that exist in terms of property rights, safe housing, and healthcare. It is not for nothing that according to the UN, 80% of people displaced by the climate crisis are women.

When disasters hit, the chance for women to receive assistance first are reduced in shaky zones. Plus, they often avoid shelters that they could consider as insecure. Women are, indeed, more likely to experience sexual assault, violence, and exploitation in a context of catastrophe due to their lack of power and the breakdown of social norms in emergency situations. Unlike men, facilities reserved for women in post-disastrous situations are lacking. Particularly: sanitary, places to pray, since it must be done separately from men, to breastfeed or change children.

The urge for more representation

Women are often excluded or underrepresented in decision-making process related to climate change, such as guidelines or negotiations to tackle the climate crisis. For the past few years, organizations like UN Women are asking world leaders to commit “further and sustained” support for women’s initiatives on the climate crisis at national and international levels. The British site ‘Carbon Brief’ has looked at the statistics of the various COPs since 1995: while the gender balance in the country delegations has gradually become less unequal, the average delegation at the COP26 in 2021 was still made up of 65% men and 35% women.

So, promoting initiatives that support and empower women to fight global warming is an urge. A proof is that a 2019 study (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0176268017304500) found out that increasing women’s representation at a national level resulted in reduced emissions, due to stronger pro-climate policies. At the local level, women’s participation is associated with better resource management and governance. There’s so many examples all over the world where land rights, food production, projects financing and brainstorming on sustainable solutions have improved due to women taking the lead. Although their status may be a burden considering what patriarchy has done for centuries, it is an added value to shape solutions. It is a way to support and empower women to become leaders in the environmental battle. Due to their number of responsibilities and skills, they are aware of the specific needs, they know what to implement to contribute to a gender-sensitive climate adaptation.

You may think that these evidence are nothing in the face of the scale of the climate crisis phenomenon. The recent 7.8 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks that struck at the Turkish-Syrian border is another expression of our frailty to face natural catastrophes. However, addressing the gender dimension of the climate crisis is a critical key to take a stand against it and to ensure that everyone is able to maintain their livelihoods. Besides, it isn’t the only challenge to face, as marginalized and rural communities are heavily impacted as well. The first step is recognizing that we are not all on the same level when coping with global warming. The climate crisis is a man-made problem which involves the injustices of our world.