08 Mar 2022

Women are increasingly being recognised as more vulnerable to climate change impacts than men.

This was said by UN resident coordinator Mr Zia Choudhury in Gaborone yesterday during commemoration of International Women’s Day.

When climate change induced changes and disasters hit, women and girls’ lives and livelihoods were disproportionally affected, he said.

Mr Choundhury said the climate crisis amplified existing gender inequalities.

“Across the world, women depend more on, yet have less access to, natural resources, and often bear a disproportionate responsibility for securing food, water, fuel and for quite simply remaining as the engines for the family and communities,” he said.

Mr Choudhury further said individuals with disabilities, particularly women and girls, had long been excluded from all types of planning which affected their protection during public health crises or disasters.

He said women and girls with disabilities were at greater risk of gender-based violence because of COVID-19 as they might face increased economic hardship and isolation through quarantine measures.

As the frequency of natural disasters were anticipated to worsen in the coming years due to climate change, failure to proactively plan for safeguarding the needs of women and girls with disabilities placed them at greater risk of harm and GBV,  said Mr Choudhury.

Mr Choudhury said this year’s theme, “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, recognised the contribution of women and girls globally who were  leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all.

Without gender equality, a sustainable and an equal future, remained beyond reach, he stated.

He said the 2022 commemmoration was taking place against the backdrop of a world desperately trying to emerge from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and focus again on other urgent issues such as climate change.

The commemoration also resonated with the fact that Africa would be hosting the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27), a forum for discussing climate change issues, he said.

He urged government to include the gender lens in climate and environmental policies.

A youth advocate, Ms Cathy Mantswe, who lives with a disability, described the COVID-19 pandemic era as the darkest period of her life because it resulted in her missing classes due to lack of support.

“I plead with you to deal with barriers for children with disability to reach their dreams,” she said.  BOPA