Intersection Of Gender And Climate Change: Enhancing Resilience By Empowering Rural Women In Anambra State

Abstract

Climate change is a global crisis with far-reaching impacts across all demographics, yet its effects often intersect with gender, vulnerable populations, with women bearing the brunt of its adverse effects. Women, particularly in developing regions, play pivotal roles in resource management, agriculture, and community resilience being at the forefront of local climate adaptation strategies. This paper argues that understanding the intricate relationship between gender and climate vulnerability in rural areas as it affects women is crucial for building effective resilience. It explores the intense relationship between gender and climate resilience, highlighting the crucial roles women play in building community resilience and the ways they can empower the community to climate-related policies and programs. While women face issues and challenges, they also possess invaluable knowledge, skills and leadership qualities that make them agents of positive change in climate related issues. However, their contributions frequently go unrecognized, and they are often excluded from decision-making processes concerning climate action. The aim of this paper is to contribute to a deeper understanding of the gender-climate nexus so as to highlight the importance of women empowerment in climate resilience. The paper observes that climate change poses distinct challenges to women, particularly in the context of health, economic stability, and social structures. It identifies through literature, case studies that extreme weather events, food insecurity, forest depletion and loss of biodiversity disproportionately impact women's livelihoods and increases gender-based violence. It analyses these dynamics and concludes by emphasising the necessity of integrating gender perspectives into climate policies and emphasizes the empowerment of women as important to effective climate action. Policy recognizing women as both agents and victims of climate change is essential for developing effective approaches that foster resilience, equity, and sustainable development in a changing world. The research therefore provides stakeholders and policymakers with recommendations to integrate gender considerations into climate action initiatives.