STATE OF GENDER EQUALITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN SOUTH ASIA AND THE HKH REGION

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• According to the State of Gender Equality and Climate Change in South Asia and the HKH Region report “Governments of South Asia and the Hindu-Kush Himalaya (HKH) regions have not done much to address the impact of climate change on women”.
• The report covered 10 countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
• The report highlighted that India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to manage climate change recognised the importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment. But it does not suggest any measures.
  • The National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC), 2008 recognised that women are more vulnerable to climate change but lack noticeable gender and social inclusion measures.
• Some of the national plans — Bhutan’s Climate Change Policy 2020, Nepal’s National Adaptation Plan 2021, and Pakistan’s National Climate Change Policy 2021 were gender-responsive and considered gender-specific needs.
• The report mentioned that Climate change is also widening the gender gap and worsening existing social inequalities.
• China, India, Nepal and Pakistan are witnessing climate change-induced migrations of men for better livelihood options and employment.
  • When men migrate, they leave behind women, children and the elderly.
  • This adds more workload to the female population.
• The report suggested;
  • Gender equality and social inclusion.
  • Monitoring and evaluating interventions in the agriculture, energy and water sectors.
  • Guaranteeing the meaningful participation of women and marginalised groups in policy dialogues.
  • Governments need to evaluate implemented policies regularly.

Women and Climate change

• Men and women use environmental resources differently and are impacted differently when faced with environmental degradation and natural disasters.
• Women generally face Shortages of environmental services: Drinking water, Cooking fuel, and Safe waste disposal which impact women directly.
• Steps need to be taken to minimize the negative impact of climate change on women;
  • Adopt an environment‐centred growth model and Integrate women’s empowerment with Sustainable development.
  • Government need to design policies to enable women to own, control and access a variety of economically productive assets including land, livestock, forests, leases on common land and water bodies.
  • At all stages in disaster management, there should be special policies and programmes for women.
  • Environmental planning and impact assessments should integrate gender issues, Gender Impact Assessment should therefore be part of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/china-south-asia-not-proactive-in-reducing-climate-impacts-on-women-icimod-85230

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