Bridging the Gap: Tackling inequalities for a sustainable future

This entry received 1st prize in an AY2023/2024 op-ed competition by Bridging GAP (Gender and Policy), a student group at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy which aims to enhance awareness of the importance of gender among public policy students.


Climate change poses an array of multi-faceted challenges in the current era. With rising sea levels, average global temperature rise, erratic rainfall patterns and intensification of cyclical droughts, climate change also contributes a paramount share to the already existing gender inequalities. At the current pace, it would take 300 years to achieve gender equality as stated by United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres in his opening speech for International Commission on the Status of Women, 2023 (Bushard, 2023). This statement is a testimony to the fact that women represent a marginalised segment in the world’s population with restrained opportunities towards health outcomes, education, political representation, and economic inclusion. Given the global gender gap position, climate change can be a threat multiplier for this marginalised segment restricting access to opportunities and limiting means for achievement.

Gender Inequality Index (GII) is higher in most of the developing countries where women are already lagging in access to health, education, economic opportunities, and overall empowerment owing to economic pressures (Ma et al., 2022). Some of these countries -being more prone to climate hazards and lacking in technical and financial resources - pose a threat to an already abysmal condition of women. In the times of climatic catastrophes, women as a group are more vulnerable to health risks, violence, and life risk (Reggers, 2019).

Drawing an example from a recent event, floods in Pakistan adversely impacted women to a greater degree compared with men. Religious and cultural barriers posed restrictions on relocation and seeking help in refugee camps filled with unknown men. Similarly, women had no or minimal access to separate/covered restrooms, menstrual hygiene products and maternal care facilities. The situation is much worse, with glaring statistics from Human Rights Watch (HRW) which highlighted that among total severely affected people, 650,000 were pregnant women (Sifton & Ijaz, 2022). Women in refugee camps faced the trauma of being eyed, risk of misbehaviour and in some instances, even physical and sexual violence (Soomar et al., 2023). Alongside that, women also bear additional emotional burden in the primary role of a homemaker to prioritise the needs of their family and children before their own. In another example, Zimbabwe had been experiencing prolonged cyclical droughts owing to climate change, disproportionately impacting women farmers. Drought-risk reduction policies are primarily targeted towards male dominated occupations, leaving women more prone to food insecurity in times of crises (Ndlovu & Mjimba, 2021). In Ethiopia, recurring droughts have led to a significant increase in the dropout rate of girl children from school, as households require more labour to manage farms while men seek alternative livelihoods in urban centres (UNDP, 2023).

Based on the evidence provided above and to address the plight of marginalised gender during and even before climate crisis, a two-pronged strategy is proposed here which is to be acted upon simultaneously to lead towards a holistic resolution.

Short-term Policy Interventions

• Based on the evidence provided above and to address the plight of marginalised gender during and even before climate crisis, a two-pronged strategy is proposed here which is to be acted upon simultaneously to lead towards a holistic resolution.


• In addressing the climate gender gap, it is crucial to shift focus from equality of opportunity to equality of outcome for marginalised segments. Women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) often struggle to prioritise their health due to limited means. Introducing social welfare programmes aimed at enhancing women’s health outcomes can alleviate economic pressures on poor households, particularly during crises. Drawing inspiration from Pakistan’s ‘Prime Minister Sehat Sahulat Program (SSP),’ where individual access to free health services is granted based on annual family income thresholds, can serve as a model. Notably, the programme issues health cards in individual usernames, empowering women within households to address their health needs. With a high satisfaction rate of 98% and over 43 million enrolled families, the programme’s success underscores its potential impact (SSP, 2024). While the applicability of such policies hinges on financial resources, seeking support from international NGOs and multilateral bodies, such as WHO, can help bridge resource gaps in LMICs.

Long-term Policy Interventions

• Financial independence serves as a pivotal structural determinant contributing to the marginalisation of women, impeding their access to education and healthcare. These adverse outcomes, in turn, hinder women’s empowerment and economic freedom, perpetuating a cyclic pattern of systematic challenges. While designing policy interventions, focus should be placed on addressing structural inequalities translating into vulnerabilities rather than focusing only on addressing short-term vulnerabilities owing to climate change (Huyer et al., 2020).


• The foundational solution to address gender inequality lies in comprehensive education, not only for women but also for men. Initiatives should begin at the primary education level, emphasizing equality, respect for boundaries, and the acknowledgment of the significant contributions that empowered women make to family, community, and society. National-level policies should prioritise improving women’s educational outcomes to reduce financial dependence on male counterparts. Subsidised or free education for girls up to a certain number of years in economically disadvantaged households can foster a culture of prioritising their education.


• While acknowledging the undeniable manifestations of climate change, there is an urgent need for global consensus and collective action to contain its adverse impacts. Investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, coupled with policy evaluation through a pro-climate lens, can prevent and prepare for climate-related hazards. International events like COP 28, which included discussions on ‘Gender and Climate,’ exemplify the growing recognition of this intersection. Advocacy on global platforms can further raise awareness and garner support for designing gender-focused policies addressing climate challenges (UNFCCC, 2024).

References:

1. Bushard, B. (2023). U.N. Chief Says World Is “300 Years Away” From Gender Equity And Women’s Rights Are “Vanishing Before Our Eyes.” Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/03/06/un-chief-says-world-is-300-yearsaway-from-gender-equity-and-womens-rights-are-vanishing-before-our-eyes/


2. Sifton, J., & Ijaz, S. (2022, September 2). Flood-Affected Women in Pakistan Need Urgent Help | Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/09/02/flood-affected-womenpakistan-need-urgent-help


3. Soomar, S. M., Arefin, A., & Soomar, S. M. (2023). “Women are again unsafe”: Preventing violence and poor maternal outcomes during current floods in Pakistan. Journal of Global Health, 13, 03005. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.13.03005


4. Huyer, S., Acosta, M., Gumucio, T., & Ilham, J. I. J. (2020). Can we turn the tide? Confronting gender inequality in climate policy. Gender & Development, 28(3), 571–591. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552074.2020.1836817


5. UNFCCC, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (2024, January 28). Gender & Women at COP 28 | UNFCCC. https://unfccc.int/gender/cop28#Informationsession-on-gender


6. Ndlovu, T., & Mjimba, V. (2021). Drought risk-reduction and gender dynamics in communal cattle farming in southern Zimbabwe. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 58, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102203


7. UNDP. (2023, November 22). Women are key for the future of climate action in Africa. UNDP Climate Promise. https://climatepromise.undp.org/news-and-stories/women-are-key-futureclimate-action-africa


8. SSP. (2024, January 28). Sehat Sahulat Program | Sehat Insaf Kay Sath! https://www.pmhealthprogram.gov.pk/


9. Reggers, A. (2019). Climate Change Is Not Gender Neutral: Gender Inequality, Rights and Vulnerabilities in Bangladesh. In S. Huq, J. Chow, A. Fenton, C. Stott, J. Taub, & H. Wright (Eds.), Confronting Climate Change in Bangladesh: Policy Strategies for Adaptation and Resilience (pp. 103–118). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05237-9_8