Climate change is a global challenge that affects everyone, but its impacts are not felt equally. Rural women, in particular, often bear the brunt of the consequences of a changing climate, as they rely heavily on natural resources for their livelihoods and are often disproportionately affected by extreme weather events. At the same time, rural women have the knowledge, skills, and resilience to be powerful agents of change in the fight against climate change. By including rural women in decision-making processes and supporting their leadership, we can not only address the specific challenges faced by these communities but also create more effective and sustainable solutions for the entire planet. In this blog post, we will explore the unique role that rural women play in the global fight against climate change and the importance of their equal participation in creating a more sustainable future for all.
Rural Women And Girls Cannot Be Left Behind in The Global Fight Against Climate Change:
According to climate scientist Dr. Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick from the University of Melbourne, women, and girls cannot be left behind in the fight against climate change. She tells Green Biz that protecting land, water and forests also protects women and girls, who are among the most vulnerable populations when it comes to global warming. If we’re serious about tackling climate change, then we have to prioritize gender equality and reduce the burden of unpaid work on women, she says in this insightful interview with GreenBiz. [Check out our related story on rural women and their role in preserving natural resources.]
Women, Girls, And Climate Change:
Women and girls living in rural areas are disproportionately affected by climate change because they have less access to resources, less political representation, and less capacity to adapt to new circumstances. Women make up about one-third of the agricultural workforce worldwide, yet when disasters strike, they are more vulnerable than men to losing their livelihoods because of gender roles that limit their mobility outside the home or farm. They also suffer from decreased access to food due to drought-related agricultural losses and reduced income due to loss of employment opportunities. Girls are often pulled out of school when families can no longer afford fees for schoolbooks or pay for basic necessities like water and food.
Women More Vulnerable To Climate Change:
Rural women are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than men, due to their more limited opportunities for income generation and thus their inability to cope with increased costs of food, water, health care, etc. In addition, they are also on the front line in many countries when it comes to coping with natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and landslides. They often bear a disproportionate share of the burden when it comes to providing food for their families when harvests are lost during climatic events like drought or flood which can lead to chronic malnutrition among children who depend on them for sustenance. This is why women must not be left behind in this global battle against climate change.
The Action We Need:
For far too long, rural women and girls have been overlooked by global efforts to protect them from the effects of climate change. As a matter of fact, this year’s Global Goal 3 is dedicated to these marginalized communities. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are ambitious goals that will require us to act together to solve societal problems like poverty, hunger, inequality, and many other issues around the world. The SDGs will not be reached without rural communities being involved in their creation and implementation as well as achieving them!
How is Gender Going To Help?
Climate change affects women more than men, as 70% of the world’s poor are female and two-thirds of the ones who suffer from a lack of clean water access are women. The negative impacts of climate change on rural women and girls are even more prevalent because they not only manage their own livelihoods but also their families. Rural women around the world are facing a challenge in the fight against climate change.
How Can I Help?
Climate change is not just an environmental issue, it also has major impacts on health, economic development, food security, migration, and conflict. What does this mean for rural women and girls? They are more vulnerable than other groups to the physical effects of natural disasters and extreme weather events like floods or droughts because they often have limited access to resources such as land, fuel, water, or time-saving technologies. They are also less able to take advantage of opportunities that can help them cope with climate change impacts; for instance, they may not have equal access to education or information about how they can protect themselves from risks like flooding or drought.
Endorse the Declaration of Rural Women and Climate Change:
The Declaration of Rural Women and Climate Change is a call for rural women’s voices to be at the forefront of developing solutions to address climate change. It asks for increased investment in rural communities, ensuring that women are empowered with knowledge about climate-smart practices, priority access to resources, and involvement in decision-making processes so they can play a leadership role in responding to climate impacts on their lives.
We need your voice! Sign the Declaration of Rural Women and Climate Change today!
Conclusion:
If we want to make a meaningful impact on climate change, then we need to include rural women and girls. They play an essential role in ensuring food security, they are disproportionately affected by the changing climates, they have less access to resources that can help them adapt, and they have fewer opportunities than their male counterparts. Putting these women at the forefront of our efforts will not only help us beat climate change, but it will also address many other global issues that disproportionately affect them as well.