Moving gender equity to the mainstream of climate action

This brief proposes a comprehensive climate action plan for India that is inclusive of gender perspectives. India is among the countries in the world that are most vulnerable to the consequences of global warming. While there are notable efforts for both mitigation and adaptation, these have failed to consider issues of gender equity even as evidence shows that women and girls bear the disproportionate burden of climate change. This is a gap that needs to be bridged, given the complex interlinkages between climate and gender that encompass livelihoods, education, health, and nutrition, among many other domains.

The next five to 10 years will be crucial to implementing climate mitigation and adaptation responses, calling for massive cooperation at the national and global levels. A gender-intentional approach is essential, which also needs to be carefully streamlined to ensure that the concerns of women and girls are fully incorporated. Immediate action on the climate front is indispensable to India’s efforts at reducing poverty and inequality, but equally important is the notion of equity in these efforts.