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KATHMANDU, MARCH 15
Climate change impacts are already becoming more pervasive and catastrophic than anticipated, according to a recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).Some climate change impacts are already so severe that it is not possible to adapt to them.
Even though climate change is a global issue that will affect all countries and people, women are disproportionately affected.
This is because women are more likely than men to live in poverty, have less access to basic human rights such as the freedom to move and obtain land, and are vulnerable to systematic violence, especially during times of uncertainty.
Due to regional cultural norms and uneven distribution of roles, resources and power, they are more susceptible to the threat of climate-related disasters and extreme weather conditions.
Yet even in times of drought and scarcity of food and water resources, their contribution to combatting climate change is underrated.
Nepal is exceptionally vulnerable to climate change, and is prone to a range of climate risks and water-related disasters as a result of rapid snow and ice melt in the mountains, as well as torrential downpour in the Tarai belt during the monsoon season. It has been predicted that climate change will put millions of Nepalis in jeopardy due to diminished agricultural production, food scarcity, depleted water resources, destruction of forests and biodiversity, and infrastructure damage.
Because of their socially defined roles and obligations, as well as their relatively weak economic and social positions, rural women are at a higher risk of being affected by climate change. Climate change has intensified the water issue in Nepal's mid-hills, forcing women to walk long distances to fetch water. Women help meet nearly all of the household water demands, spending a third of their time drawing water. When resources dry up, women's workload is increased, allowing them less time to engage in economic activity. Climate change might also have a cultural impact on women.
For instance, dhakiya making in the Tarai region is facing a shortage of grass required to make the baskets.
The government has tried to mitigate the consequences of climate change through national policies, periodic plans, budget and activities. However, these policies have proved insufficient to address the climate-induced effects on women separately. Long-term adaptation goals are, thus, needed that would strengthen gender and social security needs of women and encourage the active participation of women in governance at all levels through participatory policies.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 16, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.