How Climate Change Influences Gender Equality in Sri Lanka?

Climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing global challenges, with far-reaching consequences for the environment and human societies. Beyond its environmental impact, climate change also intersects with social dynamics, including gender equality and women’s rights. Climate change disproportionately affects women and can exacerbate existing gender disparities. Women face unique challenges in a changing climate, from increased vulnerabilities and burdens to limited access to resources and decision-making power. Climate change is not gender-neutral, and its impact disproportionately affects women profoundly. As the Earth’s atmosphere undergoes unprecedented shifts, women worldwide face unique challenges and vulnerabilities. From increased natural disasters and food insecurity to health risks and displacement, climate change exacerbates existing gender inequalities and creates new obstacles to women’s well-being and empowerment.

How does climate change impact women and gender equality, particularly in Sri Lanka?

In Sri Lanka, women are disproportionately affected by climate impacts due to gender-based inequalities coupled with other intersecting factors (i.e., ethnic and racial background, religion, gender identity, disability, and income level) that further endanger women in times of crisis. The 2012 National Census of Sri Lanka reported that women are 51.5 per cent of the population, with 106 women to 100 men ratio. Agriculture and water are two critical areas in the Country where the impacts of climate change are experienced. Approximately 30 per cent of all women in Sri Lanka work in agriculture-related fields. Women are part of agriculture as paid labourers and unpaid family workers. It is also estimated that more women work as unpaid family workers, accounting for 16.4 per cent of the total employed female population, whereas unpaid family workers who are male account for only 2.5 per cent of the employed male population.  Link.  Archived 

Similarly, the Green Climate Fund’s Gender Assessment observes that women have a significant role in the household care economy, especially in rural communities in Sri Lanka, which makes them more vulnerable to climate change and disasters due to impacts on household water availability, the health of family members and safety of domestic assets such as livestock. Access to and availability of water are specific concerns. Traditionally, women manage household water, kitchen gardens and livestock; they are also expected to address the impacts of reduced water availability. Reduced water supplies affect family food security, which can be threatened during extreme climate events. 

What are women’s key challenges and vulnerabilities due to climate change, and how do these intersect with existing gender inequalities?

Women are often disproportionately affected by the consequences of climate change, particularly in developing countries like Sri Lanka. They are more likely to depend on natural resources for their livelihoods, such as agriculture, water, and forests. Climate change-related events like droughts, floods, and extreme weather events can disrupt these resources, leading to food and water scarcity and increasing women’s burden to provide for their families. When natural resources become scarce, women often travel long distances to collect water, fuel, wood, and food, increasing their time spent on unpaid care work. This reduces their opportunities for education, income generation, and participation in decision-making processes.

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How does climate change affect women’s access to resources such as land, water, and energy, and how does this impact their economic empowerment and well-being?

Sri Lanka, known for its lush green landscapes and abundant water resources, faced an unprecedented challenge from 2010 to 2020. The island nation, nestled in the Indian Ocean, confronted one of the most severe droughts in its recent history. With water scarcity reaching alarming levels, communities and ecosystems across the country grappled with the dire consequences of this prolonged and devastating drought. This article delves into the impact, causes, and the measures taken to mitigate the effects of this water crisis. Link. Archived 

Climate change-induced resource constraints affect women’s overall well-being. The physical toll of water collection and exposure to environmental hazards, coupled with increased food insecurity, can lead to malnutrition and adverse health outcomes for women and their families. Furthermore, women’s increased workload and time spent on resource procurement can negatively impact their mental health, education, and participation in community activities. Addressing these challenges requires gender-responsive climate change policies and interventions that consider women’s specific needs and roles. Empowering women through secure land tenure, access to clean water and energy services, and opportunities for sustainable livelihoods can enhance their resilience and contribute to more equitable and sustainable development in the face of climate change.

How does climate change influence women’s roles and responsibilities within households, communities, and economies?

Women are critical in building community resilience and adapting to climate change impacts. They possess valuable traditional knowledge and expertise in sustainable resource management, agricultural practices, and disaster preparedness. Women are often at the forefront of community-based adaptation initiatives, such as implementing climate-smart agriculture, diversifying livelihoods, and promoting sustainable water and energy use. Recognising and supporting women’s active participation and leadership in climate change adaptation efforts is essential for effective and inclusive community resilience. 

The impact of desertification in Sri Lanka affects the entire population, but it is crucial to acknowledge the gendered dimension of this environmental challenge. The theme “Her land, her rights” for World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2023 underscores the intricate connection between women’s rights and the land they rely on for sustenance. Research by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification reveals that women often bear the brunt of environmental degradation and resource scarcity, given their traditional roles in managing household water, agriculture, and food security. As desertification and drought intensify, women in affected regions face heightened workloads, limited income opportunities, and reduced access to education, healthcare, and decision-making processes. Recognising and addressing these gendered impacts is vital for sustainable development and ensuring gender equality. Read more 

women’s education rate has been increasing over the years. But in any case, can women stop their education because of climate change?

In low- and middle-income countries, adolescent girls living in poverty are disproportionately affected by the hidden impacts of climate change due to existing gender discrimination and harmful norms. These effects include disruptions to their education, increased vulnerability to early and forced child marriage, and heightened time poverty. However, ensuring girls receive 12 years of quality education can be a powerful climate solution. It addresses underlying inequalities that make girls more susceptible to climate change impacts and perpetuate its root causes. Research indicates that girls’ education can strengthen climate strategies in three key ways: empowering girls and promoting reproductive health and rights, fostering girls’ climate leadership and pro-environmental decision-making, and developing their green skills for green jobs. Quality education that encompasses gender and power issues can empower girls, giving them control over their bodies and influencing the trajectory of their lives. Additionally, it helps address the significant unmet need for family planning, benefiting 217 million women. It is estimated that when combined with family planning, girls’ education could potentially avoid nearly 85 gigatons of carbon emissions by 2050. Link. Archived.

The small island nation of Sri Lanka is highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. The dry zone in the country’s northern, eastern and north-central parts is susceptible to drought, while the wet zone in the southwest quadrant, including the central hills, is more vulnerable to flooding and landslides. The wet zone is projected to become wetter, and the dry area is dryer. 50% of the population live in the low-lying coastal plains vulnerable to sea level rise, storm surges and coastal floods. Poor land use, rapid urbanisation and deforestation drive disaster risk. Heavy dependency on a climate-sensitive agricultural sector, the high malnutrition rate and limited access to piped water supplies in the households aggravate Sri Lanka’s vulnerability to climate change. Lower socio-economic populations in the rural and estate sectors and informal urban settlements are particularly vulnerable to climate-related shocks.  Concerning education access, in the aftermath of the 2016 and 2017 floods and landslides, regular schooling was significantly disrupted due to school closures, schools being used as temporary shelters, and loss of school materials, among other factors. Girls from lower-income families were at higher risk of dropping out of school. Major disasters and small-scale recurrent hazards make student access to school challenging, especially during the rainy season. Students in the Central Province face life-threatening landslides and rock fall incidents following the increasingly frequent heavy rains. In the Eastern Province, some girls with family duties to fetch water encounter difficulties in attending school regularly in search of increasingly scarce water. Read more 

 So these are some base example scenarios in Sri Lanka.

A quality education that includes attention to issues of gender and power can be a practical pathway to empowering girls with control over their bodies, potentially altering the course of a girl’s life by enabling her to determine how many children she bears if and when. It also has the secondary benefit of helping to address an enormous unmet need for family planning by 217 million women. Estimates suggest that together with family planning, girls’ education can potentially avoid nearly 85 gigatons of carbon emissions by 2050.

To address these challenges, it is crucial to promote gender equality, women’s empowerment, and the recognition of women’s rights to land and resources. Efforts should focus on enhancing women’s access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and decision-making processes. Engaging women as active agents of change, integrating their knowledge and experiences, and addressing gender inequalities are crucial steps towards combating desertification, mitigating drought impacts, and achieving sustainable development.

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-With Inputs from Dinesh Balasri –