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With increasing coverage given to global warming on our planet, it's baffling that not enough attention has been given to the plight of the very inhabitants of this planet who suffer the consequences first-hand.
Rising sea levels, flooding, landslides, hurricanes and other detrimental effects of climate change have been statistically proven to affect women way more than their male counterparts.
The vulnerability of women in such situations largely depends on their socio-economic standing. In impoverished countries for instance, the woman is the back-bone of the household and society. She farms, fetches water and secures firewood to cook the food. Soil erosion, crop failures, flooding or droughts which occur as a result of climate change only make life harder for these women. As food and fuel become scarcer, women are forced to work harder and longer to keep their families fed. The fact that such societies are usually patriarchal and chauvinistic does not help their case. Women are awarded very limited social, economic and political rights. They do not take part in decision-making and their fate is largely in the hands of men.
It is easy to dismiss these women as victims but the fact of the matter is that they are the ones who are best-placed to effect change and save our beloved planet. Owing to their interactions with nature on a continual basis, women have acquired intimate knowledge (traditional and community-specific) which can be used in mitigation, adaption and disaster risk management. Women around the world have been at the forefront of the most innovative initiatives responding to environmental challenges. The social, intellectual, material, financial, experiential and cultural capital they bring to the table is invaluable. This holds true for all women, both in developed and developing countries.
Women-led initiatives around the world:
There are many entrepreneurial and trailblazing women who have taken action against the adverse effects of climate change developing viable solutions to cope.
#1. The Green Belt Movement.
It was founded by the late professor Wangari Mathai of Kenya in 1977 after rural women complained that their food supply was gradually dwindling and that the streams were drying up forcing them to walk longer distances to fetch water. She encouraged them work together to plant seedlings which would hold the soil together minimizing erosion, attract rainfall and increase food supply. Over time, the movement gained nationwide, continental and international acclaim as champions for the preservation of the earth's ecosystems. In 2004, professor Wangari was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts.
#2. The 1 Million Women Movement .
Relatively new, this movement was launched in 2009 in Australia. It targets mostly wealthy countries who are more likely to have higher per capita carbon emissions. This movement is rooted on the premise that women are in charge of making 85% of all household purchases, meaning that they have economic leverage. If a million women used to use their economic power wisely, then overconsumption would be greatly reduced, reducing harm done to the planet.
#3. Tulele Peisa.
Based in Papua New Guinea and headed by Ursula Rakova, this organization is currently spearheading the relocation of the inhabitants of the Papua New Guinean island Tulun to the nearby island of Bougainville. This is because the island of Tulun is sinking and with the ocean eating away at its shores, it is a race against time.
It is high time that we realized how pivotal a role women play in the battle against global warming and climate change in general. The faster people do this, the better our odds of winning this fight.
NOTE: Empowering a woman is empowering the whole society. Women are an asset and should be protected at all times, especially when they are most vulnerable, during pregnancy. With an EHIC card, she can access routine medical attention anywhere within the EEA or Switzerland free of charge. It could save a life.
Author Bio:
Olivia Richards is a Passionate blogger. She works on behalf of Ehic . She has been writing contents on the web professionally since 2006. As an avid reader and blogger she shares her experience through articles on Health and wellbeing, Education, Parenting and many more.