Within the climate change literature gender is gaining prominence. Briefings by WEDO and IUCN provide an overview of why gender concerns are particularly relevant to climate change issues. Social norms affecting women increase their vulnerability to climate change. Another WEDO paper provides an insight into women’s perspectives on the impact of climate change for women and offers policy recommendations. For a regional perspective, the SAGEN publication on Climate change implications for Southern Africa offers an in-depth study which liststhe possible climate impacts on Southern Africa, regional approaches and potential adaptation measures through a gender lens.
Equity and food security
A NovAfrica report introduces Equity and Gender in Climate Change in Africa, addressing the socio-economic impact of climate change, energy, gender in climate change policy, migration and mainstreaming gender and women’s participation in climate change issues. Building on the question of equity, the IFPRI report: Helping Women Respond to the Global Food Crisis investigates intra-household resource allocation and food security, the gendered aspect of the global food crisis and gendered appropriate responses to the crisis. Again with regard to food security, IFAD has developed a report on desertification and women using case studies from Niger, Burkina Faso, Gambia and Chad.
Gender and Water
In addition to equity and food security, the gendered aspect of water and its relationship to sustainable development is investigated in Eau, genre et developpement durable which focuses on Sub Saharan Africa, particularly Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso. The Water for African Cities Synthesis Report from UN Habitat looks at the challenge of providing clean and accessible water in sprawling urban slums in Africa using rapid gender and pro-poor assessments. The report provides a good overview of sanitation, water management and education projects carried out. For a critique of the gender, environment and food security debate and the notion of women as suited as environmental managers, see Gender Equality and Food Security; A Development Myth.
Gender and Energy
An overview of the issues related to gender and energy is offered in ENERGIA’s publication on Concepts and Issues in Gender and Energy. Similarly, their publication Information and Empowerment provides an overview of the role of knowledge sharing, empowerment and energy. A critical look at gender and energy mainstreaming in Africa delves into the energy challenges facing Africa in the light of climate change and globalization and its relevance to gender.
Useful online resources can be found through: