Gender equality advocates are furious that decisions on climate change do not involve women despite their vulnerability.
This as impacts of climate change continue to ravage sectors critical for women and girls.
The sectors, water, energy and agriculture, pose a unique threat to their livelihoods, health and safety.
It is for this reason that gender equality advocates organised a workshop in Gigiri to outline strategies that must ensure meaningful participation of women in decision-making around climate change.
The three-day workshop was held under the theme Equality in climate action: planning for a gender inclusive future in Africa.
During the workshop, gender advocates emphasised the need to have women and men involved equally in United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change processes.
They said the two genders must be involved in the development and implementation of gender-responsive climate policies.
Gender Principal Secretary Ann Wang’ombe said women are affected by the impacts of climate change in three interconnected ways.
The effects add to household responsibilities, threaten economic opportunities, and increase health risks.
“In Sub-Saharan Africa, women contribute more than 60 per cent of the agriculture labour force. Due to this, women become more vulnerable when climate shocks impact food production. Additionally, women often have unequal ownership of land, which is a key natural resource to proper water access and other natural resources,” Wang'ombe said.
"It is estimated that women in Sub-Saharan Africa spend 40 billion hours a year collecting water. This not only reduces time spent in developing adaptation strategies but also often exposes them to risks such as violent attacks and sexual harassment. It also threatens their economic opportunities and increases household responsibilities.”
Labour markets across Africa are also heavily gender-segregated and many women occupy low-paying, insecure jobs.
“They carry a disproportionate unpaid work burden and rely more on natural resources and climate-sensitive sectors for their livelihoods. Gender inequality, thus, causes more women to be poorer, have less education, have greater exposure to health risks and makes them vulnerable to climate changes.”
Wang’ombe said despite women being social agents, they are being left out in crucial discussions.
“Women and girls’ underrepresentation in advancing climate justice is low in all spheres of governance and decision making and subsequently, climate change governance,” she said.
The PS cited this year's data by WEDO, which showed that 34 per cent of women participated in COP28.
Winifred Masiko, from Uganda, said there is a need to mainstream gender in the development and review of nationally determined contributions, national action plans and long-term strategies.
She said gender and climate change negotiators must be supported through capacity building and participation in regional and international meetings.
Masiko said there is a need to provide technical and financial support for the development, domestication and implementation of national gender action plans.
UNDP Kenya Environment and Resilience team lead Evelyn Koech said the confluence of gender and climate change in Kenya presents a significant challenge for women.
“Its socio-economic fabric, largely dependent on climate-sensitive sectors, underscores the cruciality of addressing climate change impacts,” she said.
Koech said women bear a disproportionate burden exacerbated by existing gender inequalities.
She said women in Kenya are integral to the agricultural sector, comprising approximately 75 per cent of the agricultural labour force in small-scale agriculture.
“Despite their significant contributions, they face numerous barriers, including limited access to land, financial resources and decision-making processes," Koech said.
"In fact, only around 10 per cent of land titles are issued to women and a similar fraction of agricultural credit goes to them. This disparity not only undermines women's economic empowerment but also their capacity to adapt to climate-related adversities.”
Koech said the involvement of women in adaptation and mitigation strategies is crucial for the development of sustainable and inclusive solutions.
She said societal norms and unequal access to resources and information limit their participation.
“Addressing the gendered impacts of climate change in Kenya involves a comprehensive approach that includes enhancing women’s access to land and resources, promoting gender equity in agricultural productivity and ensuring women’s participation in climate change decision-making processes,” Koech said.
She said capacity-building initiatives are crucial to empower women with the knowledge and skills necessary for climate resilience.
Koech said ensuring equitable access to climate finance enables women to engage in climate-resilient agricultural practices and access technologies that mitigate their workload and enhance productivity.