The Price Women Pay for Climate Change

  • Opinion by Oritro Karim (new york)
  • Inter Press Service

NEW YORK, Jul 31 (IPS) - Global warming, widely believed to be a universal crisis, will actually impact girls and women far more than boys and men. It is already known that we live in a patriarchal world, one in which men are afforded far greater opportunities for success while women generally hold less societal power and have access to fewer resources. This especially pertains to developing countries in which agriculture related work, usually delegated to females, depends on a variety of environmental factors and subsequently, significantly hurts their livelihoods.

In addition, women are generally far more susceptible to poverty, discrimination, and social injustice, all of which are magnified by the climate crisis. It is also important to note that global warming puts reproductive health in jeopardy as rising temperatures and a lack of resources increase the chances of miscarriage, gestational diabetes, and maternal mortality.

Moreover, there is a direct correlation between environmental harm and domestic violence, sexual exploitation, and a loss of education for women. Furthermore, answers to the climate crisis are generally male-centered and do not keep these inequities in mind. It is essential for the future of the planet that we come up with universal solutions to reverse global warming, ones that yield benefits for all.

As stated, global warming and the climate crisis has a significant impact on the livelihoods of women. As the climate crisis causes temperatures to rise globally, jobs in agriculture diminish in frequency. Climate change is directly linked to higher rates of drought, famine, flooding, erosion, and a loss in crop yields. Women constitute the majority of agriculture jobs globally, accounting for approximately 45-80 percent of all food production in developing countries, according to the UN article, “Women, Gender Equality, and Climate Change”. This often displaces women financially as their job security is highly dependent on a stable environment and natural resources.

Additionally, the consequences of this familial financial displacement often causes girls to be pulled out of school, which essentially keeps them from gaining employment in fields beyond agriculture. The CNN article, “How the climate crisis fuels gender inequality” states that communities that are affected by environmental harm are often faced with the decision to place their young children into the workforce early in order to support their households. In developing countries, such as Nigeria, girls are discouraged from pursuing an education and therefore, the climate crisis only amplifies that sentiment.

Habiba Mohammed, the director of the Center for Girls’ Education, states, “when we give the girls education on climate change, how to mitigate it, it will go a long way in helping the girls in how to support themselves in times of difficulties, and even help them prepare for it”. It is apparent that the climate crisis strips women in developing countries of their opportunities and essentially keeps them in a state of economic vulnerability.

The climate crisis also has a far greater detriment on the physical health and wellbeing of women than men. For example, women are afforded far fewer resources than men, including access to clean water and food. The UN article states “global warming is one of the leading causes and greatest contributors to world hunger, malnutrition, exposure to disease, and declining access to water. Moreover it poses limitations to adequate housing, spurring the loss of livelihoods as a result of permanent displacement”. As essential resources diminish, the remainder is often left to those at the top of society, men. Therefore, women have much higher chances of dying from these consequences.

It is also important to note that the climate crisis has a disastrous effect on reproductive health. In the United States, BIPOC communities are more likely to be placed in lower income neighborhoods, which have higher levels of pollution and restricted access to clean living. This causes Black women to be 2.6 times more likely to die from childbirth related complications due to environmental factors caused by climate change. Furthermore, women in developing countries are highly susceptible to complications due to high temperatures. The article, “How the Climate Crisis Affects Reproductive Rights” states that rising temperatures are responsible for an increase in stillbirth, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, malaria, fibrosis, and stress related illnesses.

Additionally, it is stated that pregnant women are far more likely to die from the spread of disease due to flooding, which is a consequence of climate change, and are less likely to receive prenatal care. Therefore, the climate crisis not only limits a woman’s access to healthcare but also disproportionately exacerbates rates of disease and death for women.

It is also crucial to acknowledge the link between the climate crisis and gender related abuse. Cases of gender discrimination, domestic violence, and sexual exploitation are already massive concerns globally but are only exacerbated by environmental devastation and natural disasters. The article, “How Climate Change and Instability Exacerbate Sexual- and Gender-Based Violence and Violence Against Women and Girls” states that climate change often causes women and children to migrate away from their families and into unfamiliar and potentially dangerous areas, greatly increasing the risk of abuse, stalking, sexual trafficking, and even “female genital mutilation”.

In addition, these women are far more likely to turn to sex work in order to support themselves, which can not only be potentially dangerous but also increases their chances of developing STDs and HIV. The article also states that in Ethiopia, due to dire conditions caused by famine, sexual violence has run rampant and there aren’t systems in place to protect them or let them acquire justice.

It is imperative that we find sustainable solutions to climate change that not only include fe male perspectives but also tackle issues of gender inequality. As Earth begins to be stripped of her resources, so do women, and therefore, we do not have any time to waste.

Sources Used:

  1. https://www.un.org/womenwatch/feature/climate_change/downloads/Women_and_Climate_Change_Factsheet.pdf
  2. https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2023/11/world/climate-gender-inequality-cnnphotos-as-equals-intl-cmd/
  3. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/02/09/how-climate-crisis-affects-reproductive-rights
  4. https://now.org/blog/how-climate-change-and-instability-exacerbate-sexual-and-gender-based-violence-and-violence-against-women-and-girls/

Oritro Karim is a recent graduate from Rochester Institute of Technology and a working illustrator, graphic designer, painter, and writer.

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