Among development and environmental institutions, and in the climate change arena in general, there is a need to develop a common understanding of the linkages between gender and climate change, using a language that policy makers and climate scientists can understand. The climate change arena would benefit from coordinated collaboration across sectors and institutions, and increased capacity and political commitment amongst policy makers, the UN system, civil society and the women’s movement.
Therefore, central to the GGCA’s strategies is the need to build capacity at global, regional and local level to design and implement gender-responsive climate change policies, strategies and programmes. Most of these livelihoods are traditionally women’s tasks in developing countries. In Africa, for instance, 80% of food production is managed by women.
The analysis of the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change indicates that the impacts will hit hardest the poorest regions and the poorest people who have the least resources for facing the changes brought by increasing droughts, floods or storms. Seventy percent of these poor are women. This means that poor women will have to struggle with the impacts of climate change.
However, they can also be powerful agents of change. Empowerment of women in planning and
decision making as well as implementing measures influencing climate change will make our common
efforts more effective especially at the local level. It will be important that women have equal access to knowledge, resources and technology, which are necessary in influencing climate change.
Likewise it will be important that women participate more actively in the negotiations shaping the new
comprehensive regime on climate change. The manual is modular: the trainer can choose topics and exercises according to the target group and the length of the training.