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Women Bear the Brunt of Climate Change
01.14.2025
Climate change disproportionately affects women around the globe.
The climate crisis is among the most formidable global challenges of our time, its effects reverberating through ecosystems, economies, and societies. Yet, these impacts are not evenly distributed, exposing profound disparities rooted in systemic gender inequalities. Women, who comprise nearly half of the world’s population, disproportionately bear the burden of climate-related adversities.
From rural agricultural workers in sub-Saharan Africa to urban dwellers in the flood-prone regions of Southeast Asia, women face unique vulnerabilities stemming from environmental degradation and climate-induced disasters. Paradoxically, women also hold immense potential to serve as transformative agents in combating climate change, a largely untapped role.
Climate change exacerbates existing gender inequalities, particularly in socioeconomic vulnerabilities. Women are more likely than men to live in poverty, with an estimated 70% of the 1.3 billion people living in extreme poverty globally being women. This economic precarity heightens their exposure to the adverse impacts of climate events. For example, despite comprising a significant portion of the agricultural workforce in developing regions, women own less than 20% of the land. This lack of land ownership restricts their access to credit and resources, hindering their ability to adopt climate-resilient farming techniques.
Similarly, women dominate informal labor markets, engaging in precarious livelihoods like subsistence farming and street vending—sectors acutely sensitive to environmental changes. Climate-driven resource scarcity compounds these challenges. In water-stressed regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, women collectively spend an estimated 40 billion hours annually fetching water. Droughts and resource depletion intensify this burden, perpetuating cycles of “time poverty” that deny women opportunities for education, economic advancement, and personal development. Food security is another pressing concern, as women produce over half of the world’s food but lack equitable access to agricultural technologies and modern irrigation systems, leaving them disproportionately affected by erratic climate patterns.
Health and safety challenges faced by women during climate crises are particularly severe. Climate-induced events such as heatwaves, floods, and displacement disrupt essential healthcare services, escalating reproductive and maternal health risks. Pregnant women, for instance, face heightened risks of life-threatening complications due to malnutrition and limited medical care during extreme weather events. Rising global temperatures have expanded the range of disease-carrying mosquitoes, increasing incidences of malaria and dengue fever, which are particularly dangerous for pregnant women.
Displacement caused by climate-related disasters exposes women to higher risks of gender-based violence, including exploitation and trafficking. After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, for example, temporary shelters reported a surge in sexual violence against women and girls, underscoring the urgent need for gender-sensitive disaster response mechanisms. These health and safety risks are not isolated incidents but emblematic of broader patterns where women’s vulnerabilities are amplified in the face of environmental calamities.
Despite these challenges, women possess an unparalleled capacity to act as leaders and innovators in mitigating climate change. In Bangladesh, women-led initiatives have introduced floating vegetable gardens during floods, ensuring food security for their communities. Indigenous women worldwide, such as the Khasi women of India’s Meghalaya region, play a vital role in biodiversity conservation and resource management. These women cultivate climate-resilient crops and use traditional ecological knowledge to safeguard their environments.
Beyond grassroots adaptation, education is a transformative tool in empowering women to combat climate change. Studies from Project Drawdown reveal that educating girls and improving access to family planning could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 85 gigatons by 2050, making it one of the most effective climate solutions. Educated women frequently lead sustainability movements, advocating for renewable energy, reforestation, and disaster preparedness. Programs that provide women with financial resources and training in green technologies have demonstrated remarkable success in building community resilience and fostering innovation in sustainable development.
Yet, the integration of gender perspectives in climate policies remains insufficient. Women hold only 26% of parliamentary seats globally, limiting their influence in shaping climate governance. Effective climate policies must prioritize women’s inclusion in decision-making and address their unique challenges. Providing women access to land, microfinance, and renewable energy technologies can significantly enhance their adaptive capacity.
Gender-sensitive healthcare systems capable of responding to women’s specific needs during climate crises are essential for saving lives and ensuring equitable recovery. Rwanda offers a compelling example of how integrating gender equity into climate policies can yield transformative results. By empowering women to play active roles in reforestation projects and renewable energy initiatives, Rwanda has simultaneously bolstered its climate resilience and advanced gender equality.
Addressing the gendered impacts of climate change is not merely a matter of justice but a strategic imperative for building a sustainable future. Women are not passive victims of climate change; they are critical stakeholders in developing solutions. Investing in women’s education, health, and economic empowerment unlocks their potential to lead transformative climate actions.
The climate crisis represents a defining test of humanity’s capacity for inclusivity and innovation. Empowering women to take center stage in this battle is not just a pathway to achieving gender equity but a cornerstone for ensuring global resilience in the face of a warming planet. Only through a gender-responsive approach can we craft a future that is both equitable and sustainable.
Humma Rehman Qureshi is a researcher at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad.