We usually see climate change as an environmental crisis; in terms of rising temperatures, cyclones, floods, salinity intrusion, droughts, rising sea levels, etc. But there is another layer to this crisis, which is often overlooked: it is deeply social and gendered. The question therefore demands a rethink-is climate really a gender issue?
To answer this question we need to understand that not all people are affected equally by climate change. This depends on the inequalities in society - class, gender, location. And women, particularly rural and marginalised from the developing world, are at the centre of these inequalities.
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. To address this challenge, we need a change of perspective; a perspective that considers the environment, society, and gender-all together. Because ultimately, sustainable development is not possible if it is not equally effective for everyone. And women are a large and important part of that "everyone," without whose voices and experiences no solution will be complete
This reality is very clear in climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh. When cyclones or floods occur, women are more likely to lose their lives. This is not only because of their weaker physical strength, but also because of their social position. Many women do not know how to swim, have limited freedom to leave the house, or risk their own lives to protect their children and the elderly in times of danger. Therefore, a natural disaster becomes more dangerous for women because of social factors.
The indirect impacts of climate change also increase gender discrimination. For instance, when water becomes scarce due to drought or salinity, women are typically the ones who are responsible for obtaining water. Fetching water from distant sources, cooking and cleaning: all become harder. This not only increases their workload, but also decreases their participation in education and livelihood activities.
Likewise, when climate change impacts farming communities, men migrate to urban areas for work. Women are then left to become primary caregivers for their family, they have the double or triple burden of agriculture, motherhood and taking care of elderly family members. But with this increased responsibility, their decision-making power or ownership of resources does not increase equally. As a result, they continue to bear a kind of invisible burden.
Another climate change issue is displacement. When people are forced to migrate due to erosion (of coasts or rivers), women suffer more. They become vulnerable to unsafe living conditions in slums, where sexual harassment, violence and diseases are rife. Climate change therefore becomes not only an environmental, but also a social security and human rights issue.
But the link between climate and gender is not merely about victimhood. Women are not just victims, they are also part of the solution. In various regions of Bangladesh women have been observed using their local knowledge to adapt to climate change through resilient practices such as planting salt-tolerant crops, collecting and storing water or engaging in alternative livelihoods. These examples show that women not only survive, but adapt.
The problem is that these realities are not given enough weight in policymaking. Women's experiences, knowledge, and needs are often ignored when climate policy is formulated. As a result, many good initiatives fail to materialize in practice. For example, if a project is taken to address water scarcity in an area but women's opinions are not taken into account, then that project may fail to address the real problem.
That is where we need gender-sensitive climate policy. That is, programs and policies which consider how women and men face different challenges and have different needs. This is not about having special initiatives for women, but rather promoting gender equality through all climate policy initiatives. Involving women in decision-making processes, empowering them economically and socially, and acknowledging their expertise, are all part of this.
This issue is also gaining importance at the international level. Gender equality is now part of the agenda at many climate change conferences. But there is much more to be done. For developing countries, the main challenge is how to implement these inclusive policies with a scarce budget.
In this context, Bangladesh has made some efforts. Women are being empowered in climate adaptation activities through different NGOs and government programs. But these are still isolated and not enough. We need a holistic and long-term approach that integrates climate change and gender equality.
So, the answer to the question "Is climate a gender issue?" is yes, it is a gender issue. But more importantly, how we think of it is important. If we consider climate change as an environmental issue, we will underestimate the problem. But if we recognise it as a social and gender issue, we will find a more efficient and fair solution.
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. To address this challenge, we need a change of perspective; a perspective that considers the environment, society, and gender-all together. Because ultimately, sustainable development is not possible if it is not equally effective for everyone. And women are a large and important part of that "everyone," without whose voices and experiences no solution will be complete.
Both writers are student, Department of International Relations, University of Rajshahi
