Why climate justice matters for ALL women: an intersectional feminist approach!

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In a world marked by significant challenges, few issues are as critical as the growing threat of climate change. Its adverse impacts are already visible worldwide, including in Thailand, which ranks among the top 10 countries most vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change.

The staggering truth about the climate crisis is that it is far from gender-neutral. It's a reality: women are disproportionately impacted by climate change. The solution lies in climate justice—a notion that strives for a fair sharing of the burdens of climate change and its mitigation, along with the responsibilities for tackling it.

Through the prism of intersectional feminism, let’s delve into why climate justice is a fundamental human rights imperative for ALL women.

Climate change’s disproportionate impact on women explained

Climate change doesn't play fair; its impact reveals stark imbalances between genders. In fact, the intertwining of climate change and gender inequity creates a vivid tapestry of injustice. It's a truth etched in stone: women disproportionately bear the weight of climate change's adverse impacts. This fact reflects the systemic inequalities of our society, which are intricately connected to the degree of impact climate change has on different groups of people. As a result, women's roles as caregivers, nurturers, and community pillars tether them intimately to their surroundings, making them especially susceptible to the far-reaching waves of environmental change. Whether through the strain of increased responsibilities in resource-scarce times or the merciless force of natural disasters, women face heightened vulnerability compared to their male counterparts.

The link between intersectionality and climate Inequity

The imbalance in the burdens of climate change is tightly bound to the concept of intersectionality—a lens revealing the intricate weave of social inequalities. Our society is a mosaic of diverse identities, embracing gender, race, color, ethnicity, wealth, disabilities, and more. These facets give rise to disparities that impact marginalized communities, particularly women. And the more these intersecting inequalities overlap, the heavier the burden of adverse climate change impacts. An example lies in the experience of indigenous women in Thailand, standing at the crossroads of gender, ethnicity, and environmental disparities. Their plight encompasses the repercussions of climate change alongside historical marginalization, land loss, and limited involvement in decision-making. The convergence of these inequalities intensifies the burden they endure due to the changing climate.

Here are some examples of the disproportionate impact of climate change on women:

Lack of resources

Scarce resources amplify women's caregiving responsibilities, limiting their access to education and economic opportunities. As droughts and floods escalate, women bear the brunt of these disasters, often without adequate protection or resources to rebuild their lives.

Health risks

The health risks posed by climate change are insidious, especially for women. With changing weather patterns, women's reproductive health is at stake due to increased disease vectors and limited access to healthcare. Pregnant women face heightened vulnerabilities during extreme events, magnifying the urgency for gender-responsive solutions.

Child marriages and subsequent adolescent births

Child marriage finds greater prevalence in arid regions and locales prone to recurring droughts. In such circumstances, families might resort to child marriage to cope with lower agricultural yields, ecosystem productivity losses, higher food prices and economic pressures during dry periods. As a result, adolescent births are higher in those regions.

Migration

As environmental conditions worsen, displacement becomes a tragic reality for many communities. In this tumultuous journey, women face unique challenges – heightened risks of violence, exploitation, and discrimination.

Intensified intimate partner violence

Analysis of extensive data reveals that in scenarios where multiple crises intersect—such as the coexistence of environment-related issues, pandemics, conflicts, and more—women and girls are more inclined to turn to platforms like Google in search of assistance related to violence.

Why Climate justice must be pursued through an intersectional feminist lens:

The effects of climate change are deeply and disparately felt by women and girls, especially those who are vulnerable and reliant on natural resources. Evidence can provide us with an enriched comprehension of the intricate interplay between climate change and gender dynamics, and lead to this conclusion: climate justice and gender justice are inseparable. Therefore, it is critical to address these challenges with an intersectional gender lens in order to leave no woman behind! Seeking climate justice, we must consider ALL women: local women, poor women, indigenous women, LGBTQIA+ women, women with disabilities, women from marginalized ethnic communities, and more. Moreover, as women hold unique knowledge and experience, and particularly local women, their inclusion in policy-making is essential for driving impactful climate action. For instance, in 2019, a study revealed that when women's representation in national parliaments rises, it prompts the adoption of stricter climate change policies, leading to reduced emissions. Similarly, at the grassroots level, women's involvement in natural resource management correlates with improved resource governance and conservation outcomes.

#WeAreManushyan ♾️ Equal Human Beings

✊At Manushya Foundation, our commitment to an intersectional feminist approach is unwavering. We apply a gender lens to our work to ensure that ALL women, particularly from marginalized communities, are at the forefront of climate change mitigation, leaving no one behind. Therefore, Manushya Foundation strongly advocates inclusive decision-making. To achieve this, Manushya amplifies the voices of women and marginalized individuals through education and awareness, enabling them to spearhead transformative change within their communities. We believe women must be placed at the center of policy decision-making, particularly concerning climate change mitigation and the distribution of its burdens. Only this way can we implement gender-responsive solutions to climate change that are adapted to women's needs, fostering a future marked by equity, resilience, and sustainability!

#IntersectionalFeminism #ClimateAction #ClimateJustice #JustTransition #ClimateChange #PeopleOverProfit #PlanetOverProfit #Greenwashing #CarbonCredit #WeAreJustTransition #girlssupportinggirls #humanrightsmatter #womenrights #humanrights #inclusivity #womenleaders #womenled #feminism #feminists #OurPlanetOurHealth #EnviromentalJustice #WhatsHappeningInThailand #LetTheEarthBreathe #ClimateActionNow

References:

• UN Women, Why climate change matters for women, (21 April 2023), available at: https://data.unwomen.org/features/why-climate-change-matters-women

• Observer Research Foundation, The disproportionate impact of climate change on women, (01 May 2023), available at: https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/the-disproportionate-impact-of-climate-change-on-women/

• UN Women, Explainer: How gender inequality and climate change are interconnected, (28 February 2022), available at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/explainer/2022/02/explainer-how-gender-inequality-and-climate-change-are-interconnected

• UN Women, Explainer: Why women need to be at the heart of climate action, (1st March 2022), available at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/explainer/2022/03/explainer-why-women-need-to-be-at-the-heart-of-climate-action

While you’re here…

➡️ Learn more about our work on Climate Justice:

• Just Energy Transition in the Context of Extractive Sector in Thailand, 21 August 2023

• #IndigenousPeoplesDay: Amazing Indigenous Victory in Thailand's Omkoi District!, 9 August 2023

• Just Energy Transition and the Suppression of Leading Climate Activists in Vietnam, 10 July 2023

• Thai authorities must officially recognize the existence of Indigenous Peoples in the country!, 19 May 2023

• Solution to Pollution is in mother nature, 22 April 2023

• How do false climate solutions violate human rights in Thailand?, 17 April 2023

• 8 Facts about #ClimateJustice You Need to Know, 10 February 2023

• 2023 Must Be the Year for Real #ClimateAction #JustTransition, #ClimateJustice, 4 January 2023

• All you need to know about the main demands of our People’s Declaration!, 1 December 2022

• All You Need to Know about our #WeAreJustTransitionMovement, 28 November 2022

• News Release: #WeAreJustTransition Movement: It’s time for a Just, Feminist, Green & Inclusive Transition with people-driven energy solutions to end greenwashing and phase out fossil fuels!, 24 November 2022

• People’s Declaration for a Just, Feminist, Green and Inclusive Transition on Energy, Environment, Natural Resources, and Forests, 18 November 2022

• Watch our Nov. 18 Press Conference to see the #WeAreJustTransition Movement launching our People's Declaration!, 18 November 2022

• BLOG: Communities let down by Thailand’s NAP-BHR fight back: It’s time to #StopNAPping!, 2 November 2022

• News Release: Responsible governments and implicated companies must ensure safety and effective access to information of communities living near the Nam Theun 1 dam in Laos, 26 August 2022​

• #SaveSabWaiVillagers: Digital campaign supporting Manushya Foundation’s efforts on Sab Wai case.

• #IndigenousPeoplesDay: Indigenous Peoples' rights must be respected!, 9 August 2022

• News Release: Thailand: Stop Forced Evictions of 14 Sab Wai Villagers facing Extreme Poverty & Homelessness!, 5 August 2022

• Complaint for Urgent Action for Protection of the 14 Sab Wai Villagers, facing human rights violations due to Thailand’s False Climate Solutions, 4 August 2022

• News Release: Lao Government and Implicated Companies Must Deliver Justice For Survivors of 2018 Attapeu Dam Collapse, 26 July 2022

• Follow-Up UN Complaint to seek Justice for the Survivors of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy Dam collapse in Attapeu Province, Laos, 28 February 2022

• #FightRacism - Thailand is a Paradise; But only for the 1%: Joint Shadow Civil Society Report on the Implementation of ICERD: Replies to the List of Themes CERD/C/THA/Q/4-8 105th CERD session (15 November - 3 December), 25 October 2021

• Manushya Foundation’s Factsheet to inform Thailand’s Third UPR: Thailand's False Climate Solutions with Bad Forest Conservation Laws, 13 September 2021

• #IndigenousPeoplesDay: The Livelihoods of Thailand's Indigenous Peoples are at RISK!, 9 August 2021

• Joint Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR): Land-related rights, forest conservation laws and climate change policies, 25 March 2021

• Who Are Indigenous Peoples?, 8 August 2020

• News Release: Thailand: End the unfair criminalization of land rights defenders in Sai Thong National Park, 19 June 2019

• Submission of Urgent Action to 7 UN Special Rapporteurs: #SaveSabWaiVillagers from going to jail! The unfair criminalization of 14 villagers under Thailand’s Forest Reclamation Policy, 23 June 2019

• Joint Statement: Human Rights Organisations urge Thai government to drop all charges against women land and human rights defenders in Ban Sap Wai community, 24 June 2019

• News Release: Thailand: Ensure the provision of fair justice & effective remedy to land rights defenders unfairly criminalized in the Sai Thong National Park Case, 8 July 2019

• Racial Discrimination in Thailand: Joint Civil Society Report: List of Themes to be considered by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) for the review of the combined fourth to eighth periodic reports of Thailand (CERD/C/THA/4-8), 2020