#InternationalWomensDay #FemaleEmpowerment #ClimateEducation #ClimateSolutions #ClimateActivism

Globally, on March 8th, women all across the world were recognized and appreciated as the forces they are as everyone celebrated International women’s day . Through the commemoration and highlighting of female-run businesses, ideas, and contributions, the female mark was recognized. However, an important and underscored aspect of the fight for gender equality is the cross-section between gender inequality and climate change. Climate change disproportionally affects girls and women, regardless of the fact that empowering women could be and is one of the greatest solutions to climate change.

If we focus on improving the lives of women, we will be able to decrease the risk of climate change in communities.

Climate change is and deserves to be seen as a “threat multiplier”, escalating social, political, and economic tensions in an already fragile and conflict-prone world. Crippling people’s support systems and accentuating tension, climate change does not only drive conflict across the world but does this in a way where bouncing back does not seem like an option.

Unsafe living conditions and erratic weather patterns affect the way women care for their children and families, as well as, leaves women vulnerable and without essential care when faced with climate disasters. However, with access to education, family planning and birth control, women would be able to have the ability to choose how many children to have and when to have them. With an increase of intentional pregnancies and more efficient family planning, women would have fewer children and even have them later in life. In both rural and urban areas, slower population growth can in fact relieve stress on ecosystems, communities and countries, allowing resources to be shared equally and not deplete food sources.

Women, despite being over 50% of the human population are also underrepresented and unsupported in the climate space. Diana Liverman, an environmental scientist told BBC that “Women are often not involved in the decisions made about the responses to climate change, so the money ends up going to the men rather than the women,” Regardless of money allocation and which business is funded; women, fueled with innovative ideas and the ability to push the climate movement forward, are mostly ignored. Causing there to be a loss and lack of new ideas.

The United Nations reported that over 80% of people displaced by climate change are women. With females globally playing the role of primary caregiver and providers of food and fuel, women are more vulnerable when flooding and drought occur and are tasked with recovering instantaneously. This is also because women are more likely to live in poverty than men, have less access to fundamental human rights like the ability to freely move and acquire land, and face systematic violence that escalates during periods of instability. If we are looking for a solution, we have to find them in the people among us. We have to begin educating our women and motivating them to make a difference If you take anything away from the 2023 celebration of International Women’s Day, seek female power and highlight their ideas.

Amara Nwuneli