Soroptimist International President Siew Yong Gnanalingam opened the CSW68 parallel event/webinar, introducing the topic of gender poverty and climate change. President Siew Yong discussed how women are over exposed to the effects of poverty and climate change, illustrating how social factors restrict women’s access to resources, economic opportunities and decision making them more vulnerable to climate related risks.
Professor Diana Lynne Madden focused on the effects of climate change on health and living conditions, focusing on Australia.
Professor Madden is Professor of Population and Planetary Health at the National Schoolof Medicine, The University of Notre Dame Australia. She was Associate Dean, Learning andTeaching for the medical program 2012-2020. Lynne is Head of the Public and Population HealthDomain. Along with A/Professor Brennan and Dr Tai she is implementing courses in SustainableQuality Improvement (SusQI), first developed by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (UK) tostrengthen the environmental sustainability of healthcare.
Climate change is experienced by people in a range of exposure pathways, often disproportionately affecting people of lower economic status.
Europe experienced the hottest summer ever recorded in 2022, causing nearly 62,000 deaths between May 20 and September 04, 2022, with women dying at higher rates than men. Women live longer than men, are therefore more exposed to the issues caused by climate change and extreme heat.
In 2022 the United Nations reported that weather events have caused more displacement than war and conflict. Flooding and draughts increase food insecurity and therefore poverty and malnutrition, disproportionately affecting women due to their gendered experience of climate change.
Dizery Salim an independent researcher from New Jersey, U.S.A. researching the role of U.S. Congress in reducing disaster risk. Ms. Salim trained and worked as a specialist in intergovernmental deliberation. In London, U.K., she was a dialogue convener for African and Asian leaders on development issues. In Geneva, Switzerland, she worked with others to convene negotiations on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 2015. In New York, U.S.A., she negotiated on behalf of the International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 2018
Dizery argued that ‘disaster risk reduction is everybody’s business’, emphasising the importance of being aware of own biases and approaching issues through a social justice lens.
Race directly affects experiences of poverty linked to climate change, as does disability and gender. Climate change is a complex system, disproportionately affecting those who already experience obstacles within society.
Dizery introduced the Sendai framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, a robust framework written to represent a broad spectrum of people in order to be inclusive of all. The concept of the Sendai framework is similar to that of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Violence against women rises around climate disasters, as women migrate to seek safety, they are exposed to the risks of human trafficking at the hands of those looking to benefit from their vulnerability. Dizery stated that in order to help protect more women and girls from this risk, we must elevate the voices of women with firsthand experience of climate change related human trafficking in law and policy making.
Mary Muia, Soroptimist International’s Nairobi United Nations Representative, illustrated that as we dive into the intersection between gender, poverty and climate change, we uncover profound challenges and opportunities for sustainable development and social justice. She shared her own experiences of growing up in Kenya and facing advanced dry weather, often walking long distances in search of water, sometimes missing school to access this life essential commodity. Collecting resources such as water is a task ascribed to women and girls, disproportionately affecting their access to education. Mary’s own example showcases how climate change puts women and girls at further risk of poverty as it limits their access to education.
As climate change drives conflict across the world, women and girls face increased vulnerabilities to all forms of gender-based violence, including conflict related sexual violence, human trafficking, child marriage, and other forms of violence. Mary explained how she had witnessed families be pushed into giving up their daughters in child marriage as the martital dowry provided them with the means to survive extreme effects of climate change and poverty.
Women’s experiences of fertility are directly affected by climate change. Research indicates that extreme heat increases incidents of stillbirths as well as the spread of vector-borne illnesses such as malaria, dengue fever, and Zika virus, which are linked to worse maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Mary stressed the need to prioritise the needs of the most vulnerable at a local, national and international level, stating that policies need to include women and girls to build resilience and protect livelihoods. For real change to happen, we need collective action and collaboration across sectors and stakeholders.
Kabahenda Kiggundu is an independent researcher, writer and advocate on women’s leadership, violence against women, women’s rights, gender equality, and political participation in Africa. She is a coalition member of the Every Woman Treaty.
She spent 25 years working in the federal government as a research specialist and intelligence analyst on issues of state protection, migration, human rights violations, crimes against humanity, genocide, and national security, in the context of immigration and resettlement to Canada. Kabahenda earned a doctoral degree in politics and international relations from the University of London, United Kingdom.
According to the United Nations, by 2050, climate change will push up to 158 million more women and girls into poverty.
Climate change induced migration overexposes women to risks of sexual violence. Lack of shelter and living in refugee camps leaves women and girls with little to no privacy. Kabahenda argued that refugee camps are an enabling environment, as stress within camps leads to increased domestic violence. Women and girls are not safe from exploitation, even at the hands of aid workers.
Shaleen Wanjiru, Soroptimist International’s United Nations Youth Representative based in Nairobi presented the youth perspective on climate Change, arguing that young people are at the forefront of the climate movement, demonstrating passion, creativity and unwavering determination to fight for a better future.
The disproportionate burden of climate change consequences is experienced by young people whose education is disturbed by natural disasters, stunting their chance at financial independence and stability. Young people are at the forefront of climate action globally, rallying for policy change, engaging in climate strikes and advocating for sustainable futures. By involving young people in decision making processes, we empower them to shape their future, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility in addressing climate challenges.
As a young Soroptimist, Shaleen called for governments, businesses and individuals to take urgent and ambitious climate action and to adopt comprehensive and equitable strategies to mitigate climate change and adapt to its consequences.