Climate and Gender in Africa: A Deliberation Ignored!

Africa is disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and increased frequency of extreme weather events are threatening the livelihoods of millions of Africans. However, the intersection of climate change and gender is often overlooked in policy discussions and decision-making processes.

Climate change affects men and women differently. In Africa, women are often the primary caregivers, farmers, and managers of natural resources, due to that, they are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including:

1. Water and Energy: women are responsible for collecting water and fuel, which becomes increasingly difficult due to climate change. This leads to increased workload, reduced time for other activities, and decreased wellbeing.
2. Food insecurity: Women's agricultural productivity is negatively impacted by climate change, with reduced crop yields, changed growing seasons, and increased workload due to men's migration in search of work, women's agricultural productivity is reduced by 14% due to climate change, leading to decreased income and increased poverty.  
3.  Energy poverty: Women are often responsible for collecting firewood and other biomass for energy, which becomes increasingly difficult as forests degrade.
4. Health: Climate change undermines public health gains, especially for women, through increased malnutrition, water-borne diseases, and heat stress. Women's health is also affected by increased workload, reduced access to healthcare, and poor living conditions 
5. Climate-Related Disasters and Conflict: Women are more vulnerable to climate-related disasters, such as floods and droughts, which can lead to displacement, violence, and conflict.

Women headed households are more likely to be food insecure, with a 21% consumption gap compared to male-headed households. Climate change can cause maternal malnutrition to worsen directly, leading to serious consequences for maternal, fetal, neonatal, and child health.

The Importance of Gender-Sensitive Climate Policy

The inclusion of women in gender-sensitive climate policy in Africa is crucial, yet the ratio of inclusion varies across regions. In West Africa, women make up a significant portion of the agricultural workforce, with 96% of women in Burundi, 76% in Kenya, 84% in Rwanda, 71% in Tanzania, and 77% in Uganda engaged in agriculture.

However, despite their significant contributions, women are often excluded from decision-making processes related to climate change. A study found that women hold only 12% of parliamentary seats and 6% of ministerial positions worldwide, with Africa having a slightly higher representation of women in parliament at 23.5% .

To address this disparity, the African Development Bank has implemented green growth strategies that include gender-sensitive policies. Additionally, some East African countries, such as Kenya, Eritrea, Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi, have ratified and integrated global environmental policies that include gender-sensitive policies as a mechanism for adaptation and mitigation. These statistics and impact areas highlight the need for gender-responsive climate policies and interventions that address the specific needs and vulnerabilities of women in Africa.

Women's Participation in Climate Decision-Making

Limited, with varying degrees of inclusion across regions. These ratios highlight the need for increased inclusion of women in gender-sensitive climate policy in Africa, ensuring that their voices are heard and their contributions valued. Despite the disproportionate impacts of climate change on women, they are often excluded from decision-making processes related to climate change.

This oversight perpetuates the existing gender inequalities and undermines the effectiveness of climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. To address this issue, it is essential to develop gender-sensitive climate policies that take into account the unique needs and experiences of women. Involving women in decision-making processes. Women must be represented in climate change decision-making processes, including in national and international policy forums.

Providing climate information and training, they must have access to climate information, training, and capacity-building programs to enhance their resilience to climate change. Supporting climate-resilient agriculture: Women centered farmers must have access to climate-resilient agricultural practices, technologies, and markets to enhance their productivity and livelihoods.

Finally, the intersection of climate change and gender is a critical issue that must be addressed in Africa. Women are disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and their exclusion from decision-making processes perpetuates existing gender inequalities. To develop effective climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, it is essential to involve women in decision-making processes, provide them with climate information and training, and support climate-resilient agriculture. Only then can we ensure that climate policies are inclusive, effective, and equitable for all Africans.

Edited By: Godwin Mayaki