Stakeholders urge Nigeria to adopt gender-responsive climate action

Nigeria should take urgent steps to incorporate gender sensitive approach in its implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) with full participation of all stakeholders, especially women.

This was the decision of stakeholders at a two-day national consultative workshop on gender and climate change jointly organised by the Federal Ministry of Environment, Women Environment Programme and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Abuja.

The meeting was held in preparation for the entry into force of the Paris agreement and implementation of Nigeria’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC); and against the backdrop of promoting greater understanding of stakeholders’ expected roles and responsibilities, effective gender implementation of the Paris Agreement given the unique vulnerabilities of women and children to the impact of climate change.

The meeting brought together key stakeholders from Ministry, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and gender experts from across Nigeria to develop ways to increase gender participation in climate negotiations and other related issues. It was declared open by the Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to work with all stakeholders to adopt a national plan of action on gender and climate change that will provide clear road map for innovative gender oriented solutions, in order to build resilient and more sustainable societies.

In a communiqué issued after the summit, the participants want action towards integration, capacity building and financing of women and youth participation in climate change negotiation processes at national, regional and international levels.

They observed that women play pivotal role in natural resources management and should not be seen just as victims of climate change but leaders and planners in climate change action.

They agreed that stakeholders must work towards ensuring equal access to available climate information that reflect a gender perspective in all its components and that the collection of gender disaggregated data should be enhanced.

Participants underscored the need for a network of CSOs, including groups representing women, youth and persons with disabilities for a coordinated approach and enhanced interface with government on the issue of gender and climate change.

According to them, related planning, policy-making and implementation, “the drivers and consequences of climate change are not gender neutral. Women are in general more vulnerable to the effects of climate change, not only because they represent the majority of the world’s poor but because they are more than proportionally dependent on natural resources that are threatened.

The participants further sought capacity building, especially for women and youth on components of Nigeria’s INDC and the involvement of the media as well as adoption of communication strategy to promote public awareness and education on (gender-responsive) climate-compatible development policy, adaptation, mitigation, emissions reduction.