The Gender theme day at COP27 concentrates on the impacts of climate change on women and the opportunities to support and empower them. For many reasons, women are one of the most vulnerable groups when it comes to the impacts of climate change so in this context considering gender means considering women. (Water also runs as a theme today).
Father God, thank you for the opportunities many girls and women have in the UK to be safe, educated, to work, to be able to make choices. We ask for education and economic opportunities for women and girls living in poverty particularly those living in countries which have gender discrimination embedded in employment laws.
Lord God who created men and women to enjoy the world you created and who, in the person of Jesus, broke social norms by welcoming and celebrating women. We thank you for the creativity, determination, resilience and impact that woman can and do have within their own families and wider in their communities.
We lift to you the women caught in the chains of productive, reproductive and social labour – often unpaid and unrecognised. We ask that you will protect, educate, and nurture girls and women and provide them with equal rights and opportunities — educationally, economically, and socially. We pray for protection for girls at risk of child marriage, sexual exploitation, forced labour, and female genital mutilation.
We ask for opportunities for them to acquire life skills, to find their God given potential, to have hopes and dreams that can be realised. We ask that the social systems and the laws that discriminate against women will be overturned and that men who misuse power will be held to account.
Galatians 3: 26-29 (NIV)
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Genesis 1: 27 (NIV)
So God created [humankind] in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
In the context of climate change women often simultaneously have a foot in two camps. On one hand they can be one of the most vulnerable groups in the world and on the other they have a proven track record for dealing inovately with change, partly because they are have a large skill set and are the source of much knowledge and partly because of their strong community relationships. We've lifted liberally from a number of websites here and all are listed in the Find out more section.
Why women and girls are vulnerable
Women and girls make up 70% of people living in extreme poverty and climate change disproportionately impacts those in poverty.
People whose livelihoods are based on agriculture are also disproportionately impacted by climate change and women are more likely to depend on agriculture than men.
Women can work the land but often they are not allowed to own it, disadvantaging them when it comes to accessing tools, seeds, and other resources. As a result their land is often less productive and because they are not landowners, they are often left out of initiatives to help farmers adapt to climate change.
In general, women in developing countries are more likely to work in the informal sector, which makes their livelihoods more vulnerable to negative economic and environmental impacts.
Women and girls tend to be responsible for domestic tasks including collecting water and gathering wood. In times of drought these tasks become much more onerous leaving little time for other activities, including education.
During and after climate-related events, women and girls are more exposed to gender-based violence.
Climate -related events are known to increase the incidences of child marriage for girls.
In climate-related crises girls are less likely than boys to continue their education. Estimates suggest that in 2021, climate-related events may have prevented at least 4 million girls in developing countries from finishing their education.
Women are more likely to be injured or killed during a natural disaster. Reasons given include the fact that they are more likely to be illiterate which means they don’t have the full information they need, and they lack basic life-saving skills e.g. being able to swim or climb a tree.
In many societies, socio-cultural norms and childcare responsibilities prevent women from migrating or seeking refuge in other places or working when a disaster arises. The men in a family often do move to find work which leaves women with a greater domestic burden.
It’s been shown that climate-related health issues pose a greater risk to women, (a) because of their domestic roles (e.g. inhalation of toxins while cooking; exposure to parasites in water) and (b) because in a crisis maternity resources are often diverted.
Women are underrepresented at all levels in environmental decision-making.
In his book, The Hole in Our Gospel, World Vision U.S. President Emeritus Rich Stearns writes, “In my opinion, the single most significant thing that can be done to cure extreme poverty is this: Protect, educate, and nurture girls and women and provide them with equal rights and opportunities — educationally, economically, and socially”(World Vision).
Women can be active and effective agents and promoters of climate adaptation and mitigation, particularly when supported to make change. We've browsed through the Tearfund and Christian Aid websites to find some recent examples.
Nana's garden of grace - The story of how Nana from Mali experienced God's grace and can now feed her whole family from her garden.
Women champion greener cooking stove businesses in Ethiopia - Three women, from South Ari woreda share their experience of selling these stoves and the difference it is making to them personally and to their community.
Gifts matched, lives transformed - Find out how your support has been equipping women in CAR to create a better future for themselves and their families.
Women's cooperative take on energy giant in Malawi - The Lusako women’s rice milling cooperative in Karonga District, Northern Malawi, took on ESCOM electricity company to prevent their business from failing
The mum who transformed an entire community - How one inspiring mum has been helping to prevent child malnutrition in her neighbourhood in Guatemala.
Food Heroes in South Sudan - honouring Food Heroes in South Sudan, who have developed their farming skills through our UK Aid Match programme
The grandmother facing up to the climate crisis - How Beatrice, from Malawi, faced up to drought to feed her family and provide for her grandchildren’s future.
Women in the sustainable energy sector, Honduras - supporting other women to gain financial independence, equality and protect the environment
Betty’s story: new life and a future - Life felt bleak and without hope for Betty. But then a training course, eggs and her vision changed all that...
Brazilian college approves innovative feminist agroecology course - a professional course, which sets out the principles of feminist agroecology
Abigael’s story: the family facing up to a climate crisis - Abigael and her young family have been brought face-to-face with the terrifying reality of climate change.
The woman lighting up Haiyan island - a movement of women – survivors and island protectors – fight against climate change, leading the drive towards renewable energy.
Farm together, thrive together - Joining a community group has given Thabita the skills and support to help her lift her family out of poverty.
Women in Malawi fight energy poverty - women are tackling energy poverty through new sustainable businesses and speaking out on energy policy change.
The bravery bakery: how six women saved their community from hunger - Six women who refused to give up on their dreams were able to bless their community during the most challenging of circumstances.
Headline Event: Women's Agency in Climate Dialogues & Implementation, Win Win For all: bringing together women leading climate at global, regional, country and local community levels to discuss matters of gender within the climate agenda.
High-Level Panel: Voice of Women Leaders in Climate Debates, Policies, Implementation & Beyond: A high level panel event bringing together representatives from groups representing the environment and women to share experience, best practice and look at the objectives of the UNFCCC’s Gender Action Plan (GAP). A platform for pledges from member states for better inclusion of women across all levels of climate action.
Women and Climate Change Finance: focusing on the significance of women’s different perspectives on climate change finance policies and the ways climate finance should be used to empower women to take gender-sensitive climate action.
African Women Climate Change Realities: Adaptation, Mitigation & Response: An event focusing on the experiences and realities of African women in the context of climate change impacts and policies, and ways of supporting livelihoods and enhancing protection from climate change implications.
Covid-19 & Climate Change: Women at The Center of Planning & Response: Ways of putting women at the centre of planning and response at the intersection of Covid 19 and climate change.
Women Livelihood Within Just Transition: focusing on how to leverage opportunities for women living in urban areas, rural areas and coastal areas, and provide a just transition as they deal with the consequences of climate change in the context of also working towards sustainable development.
Closure of The Gender Day & Press Conference.
Tearfund, 2 September 2022. Why the climate crisis impacts women more, on the Tearfund website.
Singhal, S., 2 September 2022. Climate change and women: A crisis within a crisis, on the Observer Research Foundation website.
Jeffs, N., 1 February 2021. Why women’s leadership is key to climate action, on the World Economic Forum website.
Breland, K., 6 March 2020. Women's empowerment is key to reducing climate change, on the EARTHDAY.ORG website.
Concern Worldwide US, 1 June 2022. Women and climate change: an uneven balance, on the Concern Worldwide US website.
UNFCCC, 10 June 2022. New Report: Why Climate Change Impacts Women Differently Than Men, on the UNFCCC website.
Osman-Elasha, B., undated. Women...In The Shadow of Climate Change on the United Nation Chronicle website.
EmPower, 2020. Gender and Climate Change in the Contex of COVID-19.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 2019. The responsibility to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence in disasters and crises
Malala Fund, March 2021. A greener, fairer future: Why leaders need to invest in climate and girls' education.
UN WOmenWatch, 2009. Factsheet: Women, Gender Equality and Climate Change.
McGrane, A. 20 May 2022. Hunger crisis forcing Ethiopian girls into child marriage, on Tearfund website.
