Give women equal participation in climate change decision making

A Gender Expert Mrs. Tutuah Mensah has stated that women and men have a right to equal protection and equal participation in climate change decision making.

She stressed that since health and economic consequences of climate change result in chronic poverty, gender mainstreaming in climate change is necessary.She was speaking at the 4th biennial conference of district assembly women under the auspices of Abantu for Development and ActionAid Ghana.

She spoke on "Critical Gender Issues in the Climate Change Debate." She said that, "Possible interventions include awareness, campaigns, advocacy, research, institutional analysis, establishment of gender and climate change working group and natural resource management policy.

"Climate change is referred to as the long-term fluctuation in precipitation, temperature, wind and all other aspects of the earth's climate. It is currently considered one of the biggest challenges facing the world with 75% of greenhouse emission from developed world and Africa already vulnerable to it.

Several fora on climate change have deduced that climate change and its impact poses a challenge to democratic sustenance as overall objective of democratic governance is to secure equitable development for society.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) an estimated 35% of Ghana's land mass is desert and this is advancing at an estimated 20,000 hectare per year.
Consequently, there will be loss of livelihood for most people in Ghana, since desertification reduces land available for farming activities.

Already, Ghanaian small scale farmers, particularly women in the northern parts are facing displacement from their farm lands to an influx of foreign companies engaged in jatropha and sugar-cane plantation for biofuel production.

UNICEF on the occasion of World Health Day last year cautioned that the impact of climate change could fall disproportionately on women and children.The theme for WH Day 2008 was climate change and health.

Nearly 10 million children under age five die every year of largely preventable diseases. Many of the main global killers of children including malaria and diarrhoea are sensitive to changes in temperature and rainfall, and could become more common if weather patterns change.

In addition, women and children tend to be disproportionately affected by hurricanes and flooding, which climate change experts say will increase in intensity and frequency in coming years.

The destruction of homes, schools and health centres resulting from natural disasters reduce services available to families.Climate change experts also predict that warming and shifting rains could impact crop production, which could reduce food availability.

In 2006, some 36 per cent of children globally were either moderately or severely underweight.

Last year, report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that malnutrition and associated disorders, including those relating to child growth and development, could increase as the global climate changes. Reduced supplies of clean water in some areas could also add to the burden on rural women and girls, who are usually responsible for collecting water for cooking and washing.

"The voices of women and children must be heard and their needs assessed as part of the international response to prospective changes to the environment, and they must have access to the knowledge and tools necessary to protect themselves and their communities", said Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF.

An Official of the EPA Mr. Emmanuel Arthur explaining climate change on Ghana's water resources, said there will be a reduction in freshwater flows between 15-20% for the year 2020 and 30-40% for year 2050 in all the basins.

"Irrigation water demand was to increase to about 40% and 150% for 2020 and 2050 due to climate change respectively and 5% and 17% without climate change.

Hydropower generation is seriously being affected by climate change leading to about 60% reduction in available water in all basins by 2020, this crisis currently being experienced nationwide."

He said Ghana as a developing country can only reduce her vulnerability to the impact of climate change by managing her natural resources and population in a sustainable manner.

He emphasised that Ghana should meet the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.