Empowering Women is Part of the Climate Solution - Rawan For Media Artistic and Production
Women
are impacted differently by climate change. According to United Nations
Women Intergovernmental Specialist Verona Collantes, we need to
recognize this fact in order to address the needs of women, especially
those on the forefront, in the face of changing climate.
“If
we don’t recognize that there are these limits, our response becomes
the same for everyone and [then] we disadvantage a part of the
population which, in this case, is women,” Collantes says.
For
years, women have been seen and tagged as “vulnerable” to climate
change, a section of society that has been given charity instead of
empowerment. But this should change. Women need to be recognized as
agents of change who hold solutions to the world’s most pressing
problems such as the climate crisis—if they are given the space and
opportunity to do so.
Speaking
at the Young Feminist Day on December 2, Majandra Rodriguez, a climate
activist from Peru, emphasized that women are not inherently weak and
that the inequalities they face today are created by societies.
Alina
Saba from Thailand shares the experiences of the Mugal indigenous
women. These women take responsibility for finding firewood and fodder
for the animals, and they dedicate almost an entire day in walking and
collecting the firewood. This has increased their workload, as women are
also working more in the field watering and tending plants due to the
change in weather patterns. The decrease in food production has
compelled them to look for other sources of work like wage labor.
Deforestation has exacerbated the hardship of Mugal women, as they have
to spend more time both in the field and taking care of household
chores.
“These
women who already used to work for 12 hours a day in the field are now
getting no breaks,” says Saba. “Firewood, being the only source of
cooking and keeping the house warm in this remote mountainous district,
is becoming scarce. Not having enough firewood means not being able to
prepare the meals and keep the house warm when temperature freezes in
winter,” she adds.
For
these reasons, women are seen as “vulnerable.” But this view does not
take into account that it is the current social structures and
institutions that make them vulnerable.
“What
we need to do is give women more opportunity and spaces. If these women
are kept outside of the decision-making, then there is no possibility
of knowing the exact problems they are facing,” says Saba.
Lakshmi
Puri, the deputy executive director of United Nations Women, says that
supporting and enabling women’s participation and leadership to harness
their special skills and talents is important for effective climate
action.
What women want in Paris
Speaking
to Kate Cahoon of Gender CC in September during the Bonn climate
negotiations, she emphasized the need for gender rights to be part of
the agreement. “We want a strong agreement, and it can only be strong if
we account for half of the world’s population,” Cahoon said.
In
a press conference, the Women and Gender Constituency outlined their
demands for a Paris agreement: that governments commit to keep warming
under 1.5 degrees Celsius; that all climate actions must include
recognition of and respect for human rights, gender equality, rights of
indigenous peoples and intergenerational equity; and that unconditional
support to developing countries to mitigate and adapt to climate change
is provided.
By Renee Juliene Karunungan - Fair Observer, 15 hours 47 minutes ago
Young
feminists from different parts of the world have gathered in Paris on
the third day of climate negotiations, known as the Conference of
Parties (COP) 21, sharing stories and statements on women and climate
change.
feminists from different parts of the world have gathered in Paris on
the third day of climate negotiations, known as the Conference of
Parties (COP) 21, sharing stories and statements on women and climate
change.
Women
are impacted differently by climate change. According to United Nations
Women Intergovernmental Specialist Verona Collantes, we need to
recognize this fact in order to address the needs of women, especially
those on the forefront, in the face of changing climate.
“If
we don’t recognize that there are these limits, our response becomes
the same for everyone and [then] we disadvantage a part of the
population which, in this case, is women,” Collantes says.
For
years, women have been seen and tagged as “vulnerable” to climate
change, a section of society that has been given charity instead of
empowerment. But this should change. Women need to be recognized as
agents of change who hold solutions to the world’s most pressing
problems such as the climate crisis—if they are given the space and
opportunity to do so.
Speaking
at the Young Feminist Day on December 2, Majandra Rodriguez, a climate
activist from Peru, emphasized that women are not inherently weak and
that the inequalities they face today are created by societies.
Stressing
this point is Eleanor Deeley, a young feminist from the United Kingdom.
“The acknowledgement of women must be put in practice,” she says. “We
must reverse the status quo, and this means a bottom-up approach and
[to] make women as equal and highly valued participants in the climate
change movement.”
this point is Eleanor Deeley, a young feminist from the United Kingdom.
“The acknowledgement of women must be put in practice,” she says. “We
must reverse the status quo, and this means a bottom-up approach and
[to] make women as equal and highly valued participants in the climate
change movement.”
Climate change impacts on women
There
are many effects of climate change that women face differently to
men—and at most times are taken for granted. For example, in some
cultures, women and girls are not taught to swim. In other countries
where there is now a lack of water, women and girls who need to fetch
water from distant areas are subjected to sexual harassment. Women who
stay at home and watch their children, on the other, have less access to
information about hurricanes and typhoons.
There
are many effects of climate change that women face differently to
men—and at most times are taken for granted. For example, in some
cultures, women and girls are not taught to swim. In other countries
where there is now a lack of water, women and girls who need to fetch
water from distant areas are subjected to sexual harassment. Women who
stay at home and watch their children, on the other, have less access to
information about hurricanes and typhoons.
Alina
Saba from Thailand shares the experiences of the Mugal indigenous
women. These women take responsibility for finding firewood and fodder
for the animals, and they dedicate almost an entire day in walking and
collecting the firewood. This has increased their workload, as women are
also working more in the field watering and tending plants due to the
change in weather patterns. The decrease in food production has
compelled them to look for other sources of work like wage labor.
Deforestation has exacerbated the hardship of Mugal women, as they have
to spend more time both in the field and taking care of household
chores.
“These
women who already used to work for 12 hours a day in the field are now
getting no breaks,” says Saba. “Firewood, being the only source of
cooking and keeping the house warm in this remote mountainous district,
is becoming scarce. Not having enough firewood means not being able to
prepare the meals and keep the house warm when temperature freezes in
winter,” she adds.
For
these reasons, women are seen as “vulnerable.” But this view does not
take into account that it is the current social structures and
institutions that make them vulnerable.
“What
we need to do is give women more opportunity and spaces. If these women
are kept outside of the decision-making, then there is no possibility
of knowing the exact problems they are facing,” says Saba.
Lakshmi
Puri, the deputy executive director of United Nations Women, says that
supporting and enabling women’s participation and leadership to harness
their special skills and talents is important for effective climate
action.
What women want in Paris
Speaking
to Kate Cahoon of Gender CC in September during the Bonn climate
negotiations, she emphasized the need for gender rights to be part of
the agreement. “We want a strong agreement, and it can only be strong if
we account for half of the world’s population,” Cahoon said.
In
a press conference, the Women and Gender Constituency outlined their
demands for a Paris agreement: that governments commit to keep warming
under 1.5 degrees Celsius; that all climate actions must include
recognition of and respect for human rights, gender equality, rights of
indigenous peoples and intergenerational equity; and that unconditional
support to developing countries to mitigate and adapt to climate change
is provided.
By Renee Juliene Karunungan - Fair Observer, 15 hours 47 minutes ago
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