Until recently, few climate change mitigation projects considered gender equality as an important factor, despite evidence that women in developing countries are disproportionately affected by climate change and play important roles in effective responses to those changes.
Too often, women’s concerns are not taken into account in climate change mitigation discussions due to social and political inequities. If they are considered at all, they may be seen more as victims of climate change than as active leaders and participants in solutions and responses. Lack of attention to women’s needs may lead to interventions that reinforce existing gender inequalities and deepen the negative effects women experience due to climate change. Yet women and girls can be key actors, contributors, and agents of change in climate initiatives – particularly if they are actively engaged in the planning, implementation and decision-making processes.
