Women: The Climate Solution We Need to Talk About

May 12, 2020 | Joky François
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Women make up nearly half of the agricultural labor force in developing nations—yet in many countries they can’t even own the land on which they toil; they also often lack access to credit, education, and decision-making. On top of working on their farms, most women farmers must also care for children and fetch heavy loads of wood and water for household use.

Climate change worsens their plight. A recently published report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature suggests that when climate change causes natural resources to become scarce, traditional gender roles intensify—as does violence against women. Such abuse can prevent women from pursuing work, education, and other opportunities.