By Melissa Ouya and Joyce Jelagat with contributions from the IGAD Climate Change Technical Working Group
Introduction
In the face of climate change challenges, climate services have emerged as crucial tools for understanding, adapting to, and mitigating the impacts of a changing climate. However, it is essential to acknowledge that the effects of climate change are not gender-neutral. Gender disparities deeply embedded in our society frequently lead to distinct climate change experiences for women and men, ultimately resulting in disparities in vulnerability and resilience. Moreover, these existing inequalities affect the access and utilization of climate services, further exacerbating the vulnerability of marginalized groups to climate change.
To bridge these gaps and improve the effectiveness of climate services, gender mainstreaming becomes not just a choice but a necessity. It is a multidimensional approach that recognizes and addresses the unique vulnerabilities and contributions of individuals of all genders in the context of climate change. Its goal is to ensure that climate services are accessible to everyone and responsive to diverse needs, concerns, and knowledge systems.
By acknowledging the role of gender in climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilience-building efforts, we can foster more equitable and effective responses to the climate crisis. This includes integrating gender perspectives in policy development, promoting gender-responsive approaches in climate service delivery, and empowering women and marginalized groups as active participants in decision-making processes and climate actions. Therefore, it is important to prioritize inclusivity, equality, and the well-being of all individuals affected by climate change, leaving no one behind when it comes to climate services.
Barriers/Gaps
Without formalized structures and mechanisms to ensure the inclusion of gender considerations, efforts to address the differential impacts of climate change on women and men often remain superficial. Institutionalization involves integrating gender into climate organizations’ policies and decisions, making gender equality and equity inherent principles, not as optional add-ons. When gender mainstreaming is not institutionalized, it can be easily overlooked, resulting in missed opportunities to harness the unique insights and contributions of diverse gender groups in developing climate services.
The climate services space faces a significant gap in terms of gender-disaggregated data (Gumucio et al., 2020). This lack of data hinders our understanding of how climate change impacts various genders differently and weakens our ability to develop targeted strategies to address these disparities. Gender-disaggregated data is essential for identifying the specific vulnerabilities, needs, and priorities of men, women, and gender-diverse individuals within communities. To promote inclusivity and effectiveness in climate services, it is crucial to invest in data collection and analysis that recognizes and incorporates gender differences. We can only develop gender-responsive climate approaches by filling this data gap.
Failure to consider these socio-cultural norms when designing, communicating, and utilizing weather and climate services can further exacerbate existing disparities and increase vulnerabilities (Carr et al., 2016). For instance, when advisories are issued recommending the early planting of drought-tolerant crops in anticipation of below-normal rainfall, some women may not be able to act on these advisories due to limited decision-making capabilities stemming from a lack of access to resources. This not only perpetuates gender inequalities but also leaves women more vulnerable to climate-related risks and impacts.
While the world increasingly depends on advanced technologies for climate data collection, analysis, and sharing, many, especially women in various regions, are disproportionately excluded due to limited access. Women, in particular, face limited access to smartphones, computers, and the internet, curtailing their participation in climate-related decision-making processes thus restricting their access to resources for climate adaptation and resilience. Closing the technological divide is crucial to ensure inclusivity and empower women in climate action.
Gender-responsive climate services require a deep understanding of the unique vulnerabilities, roles, and contributions of different gender groups in the context of climate change. However, the lack of sufficient training and capacity building for climate professionals, scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders with these insights, hinders the effective integration of gender considerations. This knowledge and capacity gap leads to gender-blind climate policies, incomplete data collection, and the exclusion of critical gender-specific adaptation and mitigation strategies. Addressing this challenge is key in creating inclusive and effective climate solutions.
Another significant barrier in mainstreaming gender in climate services is the common perception of women as mere consumers of climate information, rather than as active producers and contributors. This perspective, limits the recognition of women’s valuable roles in generating local knowledge, offering innovative solutions, and participating in the co-production of climate services. Women, particularly in rural and marginalized communities, often possess unique insights and indigenous expertise related to climate impacts and adaptation strategies. Overlooking their potential as knowledge generators promotes a top-down approach to climate services, hindering the development of solutions that are rooted in the realities of those most affected.
Prioritising Gender Equality in Climate Services
Collecting and analyzing gender-disaggregated data is crucial for understanding and addressing unequal access to climate services, revealing disparities in vulnerability and adaptation capacity. A livelihood analysis, considering climate impacts and gender dynamics, provides insights into the specific needs, challenges, and strengths of different gender groups, enabling gender-responsive climate services and interventions that harness their unique knowledge and abilities to build resilience and adapt to climate change.
The integration of social aspects into climate projections, such as Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF), signifies a significant shift in the field of climate services. In the past, climate projections and forecasting primarily concentrated on meteorology and environmental factors, disregarding the intricate social dimensions of climate change. However, this evolving paradigm acknowledges that climate change affects not only temperature, precipitation, and natural disasters but also communities, cultures, and livelihoods.
By incorporating social aspects into climate projections, we move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and tailor forecasts to address the unique vulnerabilities and adaptive capacities of different genders. This shift recognizes that climate information must do more than simply provide knowledge about weather patterns; it must also empower individuals to make informed decisions that safeguard their well-being, livelihoods, and rights.
Local communities, often on the frontlines of climate change impacts, possess a wealth of traditional and indigenous knowledge that is integral to understanding and responding to climate-related challenges. Integrating this local knowledge into climate services not only enriches the quality and relevance of information but also fosters community ownership and resilience.
Moreover, local knowledge can draw attention to the distinct roles, responsibilities, and adaptation strategies of women and men within communities. By embracing local knowledge, climate services can bridge gaps in understanding, empower marginalized voices, and build a foundation for more inclusive and equitable climate action.
Gender, as a cross-cutting issue in climate services, necessitates a collective effort to address its significant impact on climate change adaptation and mitigation. For example, it is essential to involve women’s groups and networks in the development of communication channels and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for climate services.
By including women’s groups and networks in the design and implementation of ICTs and communication strategies, their needs, experiences, and voices can be effectively prioritized and addressed (Nsengiyumva et al., 2018). This will ensure that the choice of channels to use and information provided is accessible, relevant, and useful to all gender groups, thereby enhancing their participation and decision-making capabilities in climate actions.
Prioritizing gender equality in climate services requires a multifaceted approach, involving capacity building that fosters gender sensitivity, cross-sector collaboration for community-specific solutions, and people-centered services that include diverse voices and experiences. This holistic framework empowers communities to address climate change and gender disparities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, integrating gender into climate services is important in addressing climate disparities, making climate action more effective and equitable, and providing everyone with relevant tools and knowledge to confront a changing climate.
