Climate Change and Women’s Life

On March 14 to 25 I had the opportunity to attend the webinar of CSW66 (The Commission on the Status of Women) with the priority theme: “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes”. Personally, it’s a great opportunity and new insight for me to know more about the situation of the women and girls in the world especially in the context of climate change.

CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated on promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. (https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw).   

CSW66 and different NGO took place to present, share and talk the different topics related women and girls in the context of climate change. This issue is really connected to what pope Francis said: “climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods” (Laudato Sí #25). The issue of climate change not only destroys human relationship with nature but also relationship between human beings.

They presented different issues and realities of the women and girls in different countries. As we know there are many kinds of violent that women and girls experience nowadays such as human trafficking, domestic violent, sexual exploitation, prostitutions, early married life, etc. Seeing the realities of women and girls’ in different part of the world there is urgent need to response how to raise their dignity and to achieve the gender equality.

In some places gender inequalities are rooted in culture, social, economy, education, institutional, etc. It causes women and girls have lower respect and capacities compare with men. For example, men have easy access to resources, skill, education and other cultures see women as household care only. Therefore, lack of education, skill and knowledge make them slow to respond against climate disaster and difficult to adapt to the new situation especially those who are living in slum and rural area, marginalized and excluded by economy, social and culture.

Climate change affects whole their lives and in that situation women and girls are of the most affected and vulnerable victims. Women have more responsibilities and multiple job to sustain their lives. They work to care the house hold and for economy activities. They work for productivity as well as for reproductivity.

Addressing to this issue gender equality and women’s empowerment is one way to fight against climate change. It is said that there is no change without the participation of women and no climate justice without gender justice. Therefore, the promotion of the participation of women is very important in different aspects of culture, social, economy, education, including development, and implementation the policies in all level. Their participation and voice should be taken to account in decision making. Women are encouraged to be leader, motivator, and agent of changes to fight this issue in order to achieve justice and gender equality.

Lermin, rmi