When the storm passes, calm does not come for women

Woman salvages what little was left of her home in Dominica after Hurricane Maria. World Bank

Returning home after the hurricane and seeing that there is almost nothing left standing.

Knowing that what was sown is dead because of the drought.

Try to save the insurmountable when everything is under water.

These are terrifying experiences for anyone.

Climate change affects everyone;

but not equally.

Those who suffer the most from the impact of this crisis are women.

The reason can be summed up in three words: gender inequality.

Those most affected by the climate crisis are the poorest and, according to World Bank data, women, at the peak of their productive age, are more likely to be poor than men in the same age group.

In addition, they are the ones that depend the most on natural resources at risk, especially in rural areas.

The chances of dying after an extreme weather event are 14 times higher for women and children than for men, says UN Women.

The World Bank estimates that more than 143 million people could be displaced by 2050 due to climate change.

Most of them will be women and children.

In developing countries, women make up 45% of the agricultural workforce and the percentage rises to nearly 60% in some Asian and African countries, according to recent data from the FAO.

However, as read in the study

, many economies do not recognize their right to property.

In fact, they own less than 10% of the land, according to the UN.

In addition, for many of them, work in the fields is not paid.

Women farmers have less access to agricultural credit, training and technology, which leaves them at a disadvantage in dealing with increasingly changing climate conditions.

Latin America is no exception

Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the regions most affected by climate change, according to various studies, including the latest report by the World Meteorological Organization on the state of the climate in the region.

Natural hazards such as droughts, hurricanes, tropical storms or fires are occurring with increasing frequency and intensity, and will continue to increase.

“These impacts will have a high cost in economic terms.

In a region marked by high levels of violence and inequality, gender gaps are also expected to widen,” says Eliana Rubiano, an economist at the World Bank.

“Gender discrimination in Latin America and the Caribbean manifests itself in many ways: in participation in the labor market, in access to public services, to productive assets and in salary differences.

In addition, in the participation of women in decision-making.

On the other hand, with 14 of the 25 countries with the highest number of femicides, Latin America has some of the highest rates of gender-based violence.

These patterns of inequality, discrimination, and insecurity make women in the region especially vulnerable to economic and health shocks, among others, caused or magnified by climate change,” the expert points out.

Rubiano mentions two examples of the impact of climatic events on women in the region: after tropical storm Erika, women in Dominica experienced higher levels of vulnerability, as they participated in approximately 55% of the informal economic activities interrupted by Storm.

In Grenada, Hurricane Ivan affected all economic sectors.

In the nutmeg industry, for example, there was a huge loss of jobs especially among women, who were responsible for weeding and picking the fruit, sorting and bagging it.

Women involved in tourism also lost their jobs, as most of them served in the hotel sector.

According to the United Nations Environment Program, in the Dry Corridor of Central America, women have to walk longer distances to fetch water.

Women and a sustainable future

Gender gaps reduce women's ability to respond to climate change, but they also have a fundamental role in coping with it and providing mitigation and adaptation solutions.

This is why the United Nations theme for International Women's Day, which is celebrated on March 8, is "Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow."

“There are encouraging examples of how women are at the forefront of responses to climate risks.

For example, indigenous and rural women have acquired specific knowledge through multiple generations and play a key role in conserving biodiversity, providing food security, resources and income to their families.

Women also have relevant knowledge in the agriculture and forestry sectors, in marine-coastal areas, forest management, food preparation, administration and management of water and forest resources,” says Rubiano.

What to do to close gender gaps and women can be agents of change to face the climate crisis?

The expert suggests some proposals:

· Making meteorological information available to women through access to the Internet and information technologies facilitates access to training and information on early warning systems for natural hazards.

· Provide access to non-formal education on climate change issues at the local level, particularly on mitigation and adaptation actions.

This type of training program must consider language barriers, literacy levels and take into account the restrictions that women face in terms of family responsibilities, mobility restrictions, among others.

· Promote the participation and representation of women in decision-making structures related to climate change.

The private sector is strategic in dealing with the impacts of the crisis from a gender perspective.

For the specialist, "this sector could create jobs for women who contribute to conserving the environment (green jobs), promote female participation in value chains

agricultural and forestry value.

Promote the employment of more women in the renewable energy sector.

Opportunities in the green economy, that is, those that are committed to sustainable development, can offer greater employment potential for women, provided that training is provided to women in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and in business development.

Likewise, the private sector could guarantee financing for sustainable enterprises led by women.

solutions on the go

In Latin America, solutions are being implemented so that women have more participation in initiatives to face climate change.

Rosa María Martínez, specialist in the social sector of the World Bank, mentions some examples that are being developed in the region, such as the Specific Dedicated Mechanism for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Mexico, which supports productive projects in forest landscapes in which participation is promoted. of women and an attempt is made to correct existing gender gaps in rural areas.

Another example highlighted by Martínez is the Business Strengthening project in Productive Forest Landscapes.

This project seeks to strengthen sustainable forest management and increase economic opportunities for forest-dependent people, including women, indigenous women, and women's businesses.

It also adds the Capacity Building Program to reduce emissions due to deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Latin America and the Caribbean, which has supported women in the region to increase their leadership and participation, recognizing the importance of their traditional knowledge in protecting forests.

Marjorie Delgado

is a communications consultant for the World Bank.