Women bear brunt of climate change

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Nov. 13: A discussion was organised among stakeholders on the adverse impacts of climate change on the education, health, and economic empowerment of women and girls.

Participants at a programme organised by the National Women Commission in the capital said that women are being affected in multiple ways, such as having to spend hours to bring water for household chores when water sources dry up, facing reduced agricultural productivity due to water shortages and being exposed to harmful pesticides as pest infestations increase.

Kamala Kumari Parajuli, Chairperson of the Commission, said that among the various programmes being implemented by the Commission to reduce violence against women, this discussion was organised to draw the attention of concerned authorities to the problems women are facing due to climate change.

She said that for centuries, women have been engaged in household and agricultural work, often travelling long distances to bring water. She added that women are more exposed to cancer-causing diseases resulting from the use of pesticides in vegetables and other foods.  

Rekha Kandel, Secretary of the Commission, said that women and children are at risk due to rising temperatures caused by climate change. She noted that it reduces workers’ productivity and working hours, increases the spread of new diseases affecting health and employment, and forces migration due to water scarcity.

Presenting a working paper on the impact of climate change, Sujita Dhakal said that due to the low income of informal sector workers, many are compelled to live in high-risk areas such as riverbanks and edges of forest, making women and such workers more vulnerable to natural disasters like landslides.

Speaking about the impact of climate change on women’s daily lives, she said that many spend up to two hours a day to bring water, no time to care for their young children or send them to school, which negatively affects their health and education. 

She emphasised the need to collectively find solutions by introducing gender-friendly budgets and programmes, and by ensuring the participation of women affected by climate change in policy-making processes.