While women play an important role in agriculture, environmental and natural resource management, they have greater financial or resource constraints, and lower levels of access to information and extension services than men. Because of these gender inequalities, women appear to be less able to adapt to climate change.
Key message:
- gender is not well integrated into climate change policy in relation to agriculture
- policy makers need to t ak e into account the differential vuln erabilities of men and women farmers to climate change
- in spite of their vulnerabilities to climate change, rural women can be important agents of change and innovators. This potential can be best tapped into by co-designing climate-smart technologies and practices with women
- gender receives attention in about 40% of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted ahead of COP21, none from Annex 1 countries
- gender references are confined mostly to impacts of climate change on women and women as “vulnerable populations”, with less emphasis on supporting women to actively address and participate in adaptation and mitigation actions
- the use of the term “gender-responsive” in the Paris Agreement is a big step forward, however the Agreement fails to move beyond the attitude of women as victims of climate change in need of capacity building
- stronger steps need to be taken for real gender equality in climate policies, including better monitoring and evaluation of the progress