A recent report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) highlights the disproportionate impact of climate change on women and marginalized communities in Kenya, Somalia, and Nigeria.
The study reveals that these groups face significant challenges due to limited access to financial capital, land, education, and information, which hinder their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions.
“During extreme weather events, particularly droughts, men are more likely to migrate in search of better opportunities, leaving women behind to manage household and childcare responsibilities, as well as oversee agricultural activities,” the study shows.
The report further shows that women are also more exposed to the health impacts of climate change: “Women are particularly vulnerable to the effects of rising temperatures, as they are often required to work outdoors, increasing their risk of heat-related illnesses. Furthermore, climate change forces women and girls to travel longer distances to collect firewood and water, exposing them to various health and safety hazards.”
The research indicates that the effects of climate change have contributed to a rise in gender-based violence, early marriages, and school dropouts among women and girls: “Studies conducted in Kenya and Somalia have highlighted how the scarcity of resources resulting from climate change has forced girls to leave school to take on household responsibilities, while women are often treated as commodities. Displaced women face security risks, limited access to essential services, and an increased vulnerability to assault.”
The research also reveals that women are left to shoulder additional responsibilities when men migrate in search of better opportunities. In Kenya and Somalia, women expressed feeling abandoned by men who leave them to manage both household and economic duties. In some instances, older men in the community step in to reinforce traditional gender norms, further burdening women.
Cultural norms play a significant role in shaping women’s roles, while economic barriers hinder their ability to adapt. The evolving economic landscape, coupled with cultural norms and legal constraints, hinders women from building resilience and diversifying their livelihoods.
The research confirmed that women in African societies, particularly among pastoral women, possess valuable indigenous knowledge regarding sustainable practices and adaptations to changing environmental conditions that, if utilized, are crucial in developing more inclusive, locally driven adaptation solutions to climate change.
The study recommends supporting women as first responders to climate impacts, enabling them to identify and implement adaptive strategies from the onset of a crisis, ultimately benefiting entire communities.
“Local actors, including women’s groups and grassroots organizations, possess valuable knowledge and capacities for adaptation. However, they often lack access to climate finance necessary to scale up solutions, build local capacity, and disseminate information within their communities,” the report shows.
The study recommends supporting local networks and women’s groups as a means of preventing and responding to climate impacts, developing gender-responsive policies and interventions to address the unique challenges faced by women and marginalized communities in the face of climate change, and empowering women in the face of climate change.
