Women in developing countries and marginalised communities are at a higher risk of food insecurity, economic instability and climate-related displacement, with an estimated 236-million women and girls expected to face hunger by 2030 — “twice as many as men”.
This is the warning from Nigar Arpadarai, the UN climate change champion for COP29, the event taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11-22.
The conference is set to focus primarily on climate finance, however, Arpadarai believes that tackling gender disparities in the context of climate change is equally urgent. According to her, women in developing countries and marginalised communities face unique and disproportionate climate change challenges.
“The impacts of climate change are not distributed equally. Women in marginalised communities, particularly in developing regions, are especially vulnerable to climate-related risks,” she said.
According to Arpadarai, COP29 will shine a spotlight on these communities, ensuring that their voices are heard in climate discussions and that they have equitable access to resources and solutions.
“The COP29 presidency will not lose sight of this disparity. We are committed to hosting an inclusive COP that brings everyone to the table, giving voice to traditionally marginalised groups. That means we will keep women’s voices — including especially women from developing countries — at the centre of the conversation.”
She said gender equality would be a central theme at COP29. “We are committed to hosting an inclusive COP that brings everyone to the table, giving voice to traditionally marginalised groups.”
Gender will be integrated into the formal negotiations, thematic programming and initiatives outlined in the COP29 presidency Action Agenda. This will include special focus on women’s involvement in negotiations and ensuring that gender-based issues are addressed through global climate policy.
She said the COP29 presidency would ask delegations to contribute to gender equality through several initiatives, including the advancement of the Lima Work Programme and Gender Action. These programmes are seen as critical steps in furthering gender-responsive climate action.
A key initiative that will be launched at COP29 is the Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers. In partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), this initiative aimed to empower farmers, especially women and youth, to build climate-resilient agricultural communities, she said.
Given that agriculture is a critical source of livelihood for billions of women, particularly in rural and developing regions, Arpadarai believes that a gender-responsive approach in this sector will help address the climate vulnerability faced by women.
“We absolutely need more equal inclusion of women in the climate conversation, including during the formal UNFCCC [UN Framework Convention on Climate Change] negotiations. An inclusive process must include the voices of the people who are most affected by climate change. Women are leading the climate conversation in many countries, but that has not always been reflected at COPs,” she said.
“Climate change is a global emergency. We need everyone’s ingenuity to address this challenge. Increasing education and providing more opportunities for development will be important to enable and empower more people to contribute.”
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