I wanted to write a hopeful & inspiring post for Women’s Day, but I am struggling to do so. Even though I am a firm believer that women are agents of change, what is there to celebrate when women still suffer from inequality, sexual harassment, or wage gaps? Women are also more likely to be affected by the climate crisis than men. Back in 2018, 80% of people displaced by climate change were women. Gender equality has to be at the center of climate solutions today if we want to achieve a more sustainable & equal tomorrow.

Women are more affected by climate change, largely because of gender inequality. [1]

The climate crisis is a female issue, as women are more likely to live in poverty than men, less likely to have access to basic human rights (like the ability to freely move & acquire land) & face systematic violence that escalates during periods of instability. [2] Let’s put this in terms of some numbers:

• 80% of immigrants engaged in domestic work in the world are women [8]

• Women are disproportionately affected by poverty until the age of 30 [6]

• More than 70% of the fatalities in 2004 during the Tsunami in Indonesia were women [3]

• 80% of the people displaced by the climate crisis are women [3] [5]

But, in spite of their vulnerability, women are not only victims. Women are agents of change &  have the potential to promote adaptation and mitigation. Women have the potential to save our planet. This reality has been recognized by the Paris Agreement, which has specifically included the need to further empower women in climate decision-making on a global scale. [3] [5]

We can support girls and women by: 

• Encouraging girl’s education to foster climate participation & leadership

• Listening and offering support to women in critical situations

• Voicing the voiceless and calling for inclusion

• Supporting NGOs, women collectives & other movements that help women in vulnerable situations

• Not giving up & not letting other women give up [7]

Instead of celebrating Women’s Day, I want to celebrate and congratulate all of you who are fighting for a gender equal, diverse, & inclusive society, free of bias, stereotypes, & discrimination. Fortunately, progress has been made & there’s hope, but we need to keep pushing.

Let’s support women and voice the need for a fairer, equitable and more sustainable future.

This post has been made for women by women.

Author: Alba Forns

Sources:

• Brasil, G. (2018, March 6). Greenpeace. Retrieved from Greenpeace:

• Ecodes. (2019, November). Perspectiva de Genero en las Migraciones Climaticas . Migraciones Climaticas .

• Halton, M. (2018, March 8). Climate change “impacts women more than men” BBC News.

• Navarro, C. (2019, June 4). Mujeres a Seguir. Retrieved from Mujeres a Seguir

• Staff, T. (2019, 12 September). Time. Retrieved from Time

• Vandal, J. (2020). Care About Climate. Retrieved from Empodera Clima

• Vision, W. (2020, October 8). World Vision. Retrieved from World Vision:

• Women, U. (2017). UN Women. Retrieved from UN Women