Accelerating action

‘Accelerate Action’ is the theme of International Women's Day 2025, emphasizing the urgency of achieving gender equality. This theme calls for greater participation, increased resource allocation and the development of strategies to advance and empower women globally.

One major obstacle to gender equality is climate change, which affects women's progress and security in multiple areas. Climate-induced disasters widen existing gender disparities, making women more vulnerable to food insecurity, limited access to healthcare and education, and gender-based violence.

The connection between gender equality and climate change is particularly evident in food security and water scarcity. Extreme weather conditions -- such as unprecedented rainfall, droughts, and heatwaves -- are negatively impacting agriculture worldwide. In rural areas, women play a crucial role in the agricultural sector, assisting in crop cultivation. However, climate disruptions reduce crop yields, leading to food insecurity and financial hardship for women.

As a consequence, pregnant women and young girls often suffer from malnutrition, which affects not only their health but also that of future generations. To mitigate these risks, governments should introduce crop insurance specifically for female farmers and ensure that relief efforts in climate-affected areas consider the nutritional needs of women and girls.

Similarly, in many rural communities, women are responsible for collecting water for household use. Water shortages significantly increase their workload, forcing them to travel long distances to access clean water. This affects their ability to cultivate crops and earn a livelihood and also exposes them to health risks, including malnutrition and waterborne diseases. =

The lack of clean water further limits their participation in socio-economic activities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Unsafe water, toilets, and handwashing at home rob girls of their potential, compromise their well-being, and perpetuate cycles of poverty”. To address this, small-scale dams can be constructed to store water, prevent floods and irrigate land. Proper filtration systems should also be implemented to make stored water safe for drinking and domestic use.

Climate-related disasters also devastate healthcare and education infrastructure. The destruction of hospitals and schools, coupled with the unavailability of medical and educational staff, deprives women of essential healthcare and learning opportunities. During climate emergencies, medical resources are often diverted toward immediate rescue operations, sidelining women's healthcare needs.

Financial difficulties also force many families to withdraw their daughters from school, increasing the risk of child marriage and child labour. As Dr Catherine Porter, director of Young Lives, notes, “Education is under threat from climate change -- especially for women and girls.” Economic instability also forces many families to marry off their daughters at an early age or push them into domestic labour to contribute financially. These conditions heighten their vulnerability to physical violence and long-term health complications. According to the UNDP report, ‘Overview of Linkages between Gender and Climate Change’, “Existing gender inequalities are exacerbated during crises such as disasters, pandemics, and conflicts, particularly when climate change leads to gender-differentiated impacts.”

Governments must ensure that healthcare resources allocated for climate disasters include provisions for women’s health. Medical teams deployed in emergency situations should always include gynaecologists and other specialists to address women's healthcare needs.

Relief efforts also frequently overlook the specific needs of women. Food and medical supplies required by pregnant and lactating women are often missing from aid packages. Furthermore, the participation of female relief workers remains limited, despite the fact that in many traditional societies, women are unable to seek assistance from male staff or leave their homes unaccompanied.

Natural disasters also expose women and girls to heightened security risks, as law and order deteriorate in the aftermath of calamities. Human traffickers and criminals exploit these chaotic situations, increasing the risk of abductions. To ensure the safety of women in disaster-stricken areas, rescue teams from governments, international organizations, and NGOs must include female personnel who can better understand and address the needs of affected women.

To truly ‘accelerate action’, we must recognise and address the gender inequalities exacerbated by climate change. International Women’s Day 2025 must serve as a platform to highlight these issues, ensuring that climate policies, resource distribution, and leadership opportunities are more inclusive and gender-sensitive.

Empowering women and girls to take the lead in climate action is one of the most effective strategies for reducing gender disparities caused by climate change.

The writer is a graduate of the University of Oxford in Public Policy. She tweets/posts @zilehumma_1 and can be reached at: zilehuma_1@hotmail.com