The role of gender in addressing climate change in Africa has been a persistent point of contention as stakeholders seek to understand and balance its implications. Collaborating UN agencies, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), UN Women, and the UNDP, along with non-UN entities such as the Africa Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES) and the Women and Gender Constituency (WGC), are currently engaged in regional discussions to analyze, evaluate, and address the intersections between gender and climate change in Africa.
Climate change poses ongoing challenges to human survival, wildlife, and biodiversity, leading to food and water insecurities, disproportionately affecting women in society. During a workshop at the United Nations titled “Equality in Climate Action: Planning for a Gender-Inclusive Future in Africa,” critical issues impacting women were identified and discussed, and solutions were proposed to amplify the call for gender-responsive climate action.
The adoption of gender-responsive planning and policymaking acknowledges and aims to address disparities by incorporating the diverse needs and contributions of both men and women. This approach aligns with the Generation Equality global initiative, which seeks to consolidate action towards gender equality across various thematic areas organized as action coalitions.
According to PS Ann Wang’ombe, a colleague representing various sectors from UN agencies, governments, and civil society across Africa, climate change disproportionately affects vulnerable and poor populations, particularly rural women. This is attributed to their reliance on natural resources for livelihoods, which are increasingly threatened.
“Climate change continues to impact sectors critical for women and girls, such as water, energy, and agriculture, posing unique threats to their livelihoods, health, and safety, and increasing the burden of unpaid care work,” stated PS Ann.
Research indicates that women in Sub-Saharan Africa contribute over 60% of the agricultural labor force, placing them at higher risk when climate shocks impact food production. Similarly, women’s responsibility for water collection exposes them to risks such as attacks and sexual harassment, as evidenced by statistics indicating that women in Sub-Saharan Africa spend 40 billion hours annually fetching water.
Mr. William Otieno, UNFCCC Regional Lead of the Regional Collaboration Centre for East and Southern Africa (RCC EAS Africa), emphasized the importance of the workshop in identifying activities to ensure the effectiveness of gender action plans in future work. Mr. Otieno also acknowledged the support of RCC’s host institution, the East African Development Bank (EADB), and the Africa Climate Change Fund (ACCF), in promoting gender mainstreaming practices.
Highlighting the five-year enhanced Lima Work Programme on Gender (LWPG) and its Gender Action Plan (GAP), aimed at advancing knowledge and understanding of gender-responsive climate action, Mr. Otieno emphasized the importance of integrating gender considerations into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS).
Evelyn Koech, Team Leader of Environment and Resilience at UNDP KENYA, emphasized that addressing the climate crisis, achieving a just transition, and attaining the Sustainable Development Goals require full embracement of gender equality. Ms. Koech highlighted positive changes observed in developing countries’ updated NDCs, with 95% now incorporating references to women’s empowerment and gender equality, compared to only 46% in the initial submissions.
“Data collected by UNDP indicates better integration of gender considerations into revised NDCs in Africa, with 40 out of 41 African countries including gender considerations in their updated NDCs by January 1, 2024. This suggests a positive shift in considering gender in the second generation of African countries’ NDCs,” explained Ms. Koech.
Emphasizing the importance of collective efforts and holistic approaches, Ms. Koech called for a reaffirmation of commitment to advancing gender equality in climate action to shape the resilience and sustainability of future generations.
“Together, we can build a more inclusive and resilient world for all,” concluded Ms. Koech.
