Women and Climate Change - Church World Service

“ Give her a share in the fruit of her hands. . . ” Proverbs 31:31 Women andClimateChange Climate change is not an equal opportunity phenomenon. While climate change affects everyone, it does not affect everyone equally. The simple truth is that the... More

“ Give her a share in the fruit of her hands. . . ” Proverbs 31:31 Women andClimateChange Climate change is not an equal opportunity phenomenon. While climate change affects everyone, it does not affect everyone equally. The simple truth is that the poorest people in industrialized and developing nations suffer the worst effects of the build-up of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. Women and children comprise an estimated 70% of the world’s poor. Women and girls are on the front-lines of coping with the impact of climate change because of their economic status and because of the particular roles they play in society. They are also on the frontlines of creating alternative strategies and solutions. In developing countries, women and girls often are responsible for the most basic survival needs of their families – like water, fuel and food. When these become more costly or scarce, women and girls’ work increases. At the grass roots level, women are often well positioned to manag Less