The impacts of climate change affect women and men differently. Women are the hardest hit by dramatic shifts in climatic conditions. Women’s mortality from climate-related disasters is higher than that of men. Compared to men, domestic burdens (e.g. collection of firewood and water) of women increase substantially with various manifestations of climate change.

Women tend to rely more on natural resources for their livelihood. Any decline in land and biomass productivity affects women more than men, especially in rural areas. In urban areas, after climate-related disasters, it is harder for poor women than for poor men to recover their economic status and welfare. Women, as well as men, significantly contribute to combating climate change as knowledgeable small-scale farmers and leaders of climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives.

What is GCF doing to address the gender dimensions of climate change?

The Green Climate Fund is the first climate finance mechanism to mainstream gender perspectives from the outset of its operations as an essential decision-making element for the deployment of its resources. GCF has placed gender as a key element of its programming architecture, and its commitment to gender equality centres on gender-responsive climate action programmes and projects that benefit women and men.

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