17 May 2021 – by Atoosa Gitiforoz
The Nature Climate Change journal released an article on Thursday 6th May 21, detailing findings that demonstrate the importance of gender equality in mitigating climate change. Collated evidence from eighteen sources show how conservation, natural resource management, the protection of Indigenous peoples’ tenure rights and forest-dependent communities can only be achieved with the participation of women in decision-making processes on both a local and governmental level.
The article points to human rights abuses and the lack of women’s involvement in climate programmes as driving factors in forest destruction and the failure of decision makers to address climate related issues that primarily damage the lives of women and Indigenous peoples: ‘In the Brazilian Amazon, for example, deforestation on lands securely held by Indigenous peoples was, on average, 150% lower than in other comparable areas.’
Plantation companies have not been held accountable by governments for causing damage to property, food and a healthy environment – which all disproportionately affect women. Rural women are among the least likely to be included in decision-making about land and forest management, yet ‘women are also on the frontlines protecting forests from destruction’.
Differences in gender roles across many communities impacted by climate change has meant that women often use forest products to support their families as opposed to exploiting them commercially. However, conservation and natural resource management have been slow to include women in their programmes. Involving more women in conservation projects in communities, where conservation is in women’s interests due to gender roles, is likely to lead to more sustainable practices. When governments fail to include women, they are at greater risk of being killed, falling victim to gender-based violence and/or be at the receiving end of legal harassment.
For example, ‘women are more likely to plant trees in their gardens to reduce the distance they walk to fetch firewood or to protect the forests, serving as an important food or medicinal source.’ Understanding and considering gender roles by including both men and women as stakeholders in climate change mitigation efforts, ensures that women partake in decision-making processes that directly impact their rights.
Evidence is presented in this article demonstrating that the inclusion of women in forest management groups brings positive outcomes for both government and conservation efforts. The article urges governments to incorporate this evidence within climate action plans, adapt policies that improve both the rights of women and forest-dependent communities, and bringing tenure security for local communities – in particular women.
