Earth Today | Female figures give thumps up to new Adaptation Fund study

FROM ACADEMIA to the private sector, key female figures have applauded the publication of a research paper that sheds light on the value of integrating gender and other socio-cultural realities into adaptation planning for climate change.

The research report on the Study on intersectional approaches to gender mainstreaming in adaptation-relevant interventions, was released by the Adaptation Fund (AF) on International Women’s Day, March 8.

“The results of this study are timely, strategic and should be endorsed by all Caribbean governments and policymakers. The report is consistent with national development policies to mainstream gender and intersectionality to promote gender equality in social, economic, political and environmental development,” said Dr Leith Dunn, honorary research fellow at The University of the West Indies’ Institute for Gender and Development Studies, Mona Unit.

“This makes economic sense, as financial and human resources can be better targeted to meet the differential needs and vulnerabilities of various groups impacted by climate change. These include persons with disabilities, who are increasingly vulnerable,” she added.

According to Dunn, Caribbean governments are also advised to increase their allocation of resources to build the technical capacity to mainstream gender in all development policies and plans.

“This is urgent! It will improve the livelihoods and living standards of the most vulnerable groups in each Caribbean country, especially given the impact of COVID-19 and climate change,” noted the academic, who supports gender mainstreaming work in Botswana, where she currently resides.

The report concludes, among other things, that “engaging in analyses of multidimensional and intersecting gendered vulnerabilities to climate change is essential in risk management for marginalised and vulnerable groups (such as children, women and girls, the elderly, indigenous people, tribal groups, displaced people, refugees, people living with disabilities, and people living with HIV/AIDS).”

“At the same time, intersectional approaches help in moving from a singular focus on risk management towards more gender-responsive, and even gender-transformative approaches,” it explained.

Indi Mclymont-Lafayette, gender specialist and development communications practitioner, lauded the AF for the insight.

“It’s great to see that the AF is ensuring that gender continues to be an integral part of adaptation. The intersectional approach does give added depth and value to climate adaptation impacts, for example,” she said.

Mclymont-Lafayette added that what is needed now is time and the resources for training to enhance the skill sets of those engaged in adaptation planning.

“The intersectional approach will need time to be understood and used by varying stakeholders. This may require training and capacity building. Once that is factored in, this will be a very timely approach. It will better capture climate impacts in these COVID-19 times and ensure that the needs of girls, women, boys and men are mainstreamed into policy and programme solutions,” she said.

For Kristinia Doughorty, environmental analyst at Environmental Solutions Limited (ESL), the report presents “a very progressive model to empower women to improve their resilience”.

“This is timely, not only due to the advent of climate change, but also to allow more developing countries that are vulnerable to boost their resilience. Within the Caribbean, especially in the field of agriculture, women are often not viewed as key features in the sector. This (report) paves a way forward for us to better improve our communities, food security and resilience,” she said.

ESL boss Eleanor Jones agreed.

“This is an outstanding contribution to the process of adaptation, particularly for us in small island developing states. Mitigation is important to climate change, but adaptation is really what is critical for us, and we really need to look at how we bring men and women together to look at vulnerabilities. Men and women have different roles, but they also have roles that are synergistic and which are important for us to build climate resilience – with an emphasis on coping strategies,” she said.

“We need to break down silos, and this report highlights and presents best practices which become learning tools. It is for us to take it on board. It’s a new approach and one that is evolving, but which is most welcomed. It is emphasising an inclusive approach, that is, looking at how you bring together people, sectors, and the key issues that relate to the quality of life, particularly in light of climate change and all the climate threats that we face,” added Jones, who also chairs the Energy, Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica.

“It is well established that climate change is the existential threat for us, and here in Jamaica, we have to take adaptation on board. We can’t change the climate, but (we) have to pay attention to how we build capacity to manage and perhaps preempt some of the strikes that we will increasingly face. One of the best ways to do this is to focus on how we bring together the differentiated roles and make it an all-inclusive process,” she said further.

pwr.gleaner@gmail.com