Gender Development strategies

Gender development strategies have been shown to have a major positive effect on the health of children. These gender programmes are more successful when combined with the establishment of strong socio-political environments. Reducing gender inequality involves encouraging the participation of women in the labor market, supporting female ownership, promoting female education, involving women in decision-making, and improving women’s access to health care and necessary resources. 

Maram Mazen/IRIN, IRINNews.org

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Climate Change and Millennium Development Goal 3: Promoting gender equality and empowering women

Promoting gender equality and empowering women is Goal 3 of the Millennium Development Goals for 2015.  Gender development is particularly important in terms of the human health impacts of climate change.  It is disease and not disasters that account for the vast majority of human deaths due to climate change.  Higher temperatures and stress on water and food supplies affect human health, increasing susceptibility to malnutrition, diarrhea and malaria.  Children are hit hardest by these illnesses, as gender disparities in access to resources limit the ability of society as a whole to provide adequate care for children at the local level.  In addition, a disproportionate number of women have limited access to the care and resources they need to support themselves and climate change only exacerbates these conditions of poverty. 

For more information, listen to our podcast or visit the CVM's full page on Climate Change and Gender