Gender & climate change induced impacts on women’s/girls’ psychosocial, socio-economic and nutrition security condition in Asia region

Climate change in South and Southeast Asia is either experienced as slow onset change or fast onset change (IPCC, 2022). Slow onset changes are characterized by continuous increasing temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns with significant impact on water flows and, hence, water availability.

Fast onset climate change impacts consist of more frequent and severe natural disasters, such as cyclones, floods, and landslides.

While climate change has impacted millions of people in the region, women and girls have been disproportionately impacted, largely due to pre-existing vulnerabilities. Women and girls are more sensitive to the impact of climate change given their traditional gender roles as well as more exposed to climate change with simultaneous low capacities to adapt, which makes them, overall, much more vulnerable to fast and slow onset climate change impacts (UN Women, 2022; WB, 2022a; UNEP et al., 2020). Women in South and Southeast Asia, particularly in Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan, have less representation and decision-making power in governance processes and structures that are involved in the development and implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation policies (ICIMOD et al., 2022; UNEP et al., 2020). They have less access to information and early warning of impending climate related events, leading to increased injuries and fatalities (UNFCCC, 2022; ARC, 2017).

This research drew on a desk review of literature, stakeholder interviews, and FGDs. The findings show a strong causal link between climate change impacts and the psychosocial, socio-economic, and nutrition security conditions of women and girls across South
and Southeast Asia. More so, the research demonstrates that climate change exacerbates existing vulnerabilities and emphasizes the already-limited access of women and girls to resources and opportunities, resulting in their basic needs not being met even before a climate-induced event.