Technical skills on women stressed for climate change adaptation

Kathmandu: Stakeholders concerned have said that women have been disproportionately affected by climate change and they need to be specially focused on building technical skills and knowledge for climate change adaption.

Speaking at an inaugural session of the international seminar on “Gender Equality and Promotion of Leadership in Forest and Climate Change” organised by the Regional Community Forestry Training Centre for Asia and Pacific (RECOFTC) today, they said women are hit disproportionately by the climate crisis.

Former Minister and climate change activist Dr Bimala Paudyal Rai said climate change has significant implications in the agriculture, energy and drinking water sectors.

‘Many women are engaged in the agricultural sector and are responsible for managing waters for household consumption and these areas are largely affected by climate change,’ she said, adding that women are forced to visit farther daily to manage waters due to the depletion of nearby depletion of water resources. Thus capacity enhancement among women is needed to facilitate them to cope with the situation.

The incidents of natural disasters caused by climate change have damaged school infrastructures. The former Minister demanded the government implement gender-responsive policies and programmes.

‘People with disabilities are also affected additionally by the climate crisis,’ she said. REED Implementation Center’s Chief Nabaraj Pudasaini thought that ensuring women’s leadership in forest and climate change sectors would help achieve gender and climate justice.

Sweden’s Consulate General of Sweden in Nepal Consul General to Nepal, Mousami Shrestha underlined the need for leading roles for women to secure climate and gender justice. Climate expert Dr Sirjana Baral said it is mandatory to have women-led efforts for the management of natural resources to find the expected results.

Nepal’s Gender and Social Inclusion Action Plan for Climate Change Policy (2077-87) has also highlighted the need to build technical skills and knowledge related to climate change adaptation of women and marginalised groups, she reminded.

RSS