Southeast Asia is among the world’s most at-risk regions to climate change due to its geographic exposure and high dependence on climate-sensitive sectors such as water resources and agriculture. In tackling climate change in Southeast Asia, it is important to recognize the varying adverse impacts on different gender groups. Increasing evidence reveals that women are much more likely to bear the brunt of climate stress in comparison to men. The UN estimates that globally women and girls are 14 times more likely than men to die during a climate disaster and that 80% of people displaced by climate change to date are women.
Women are most impacted by climate change not due to biological differences, but rather cultural norms and the inequitable distribution of roles, resources, and power. In 2009, the UN State of World Population Report concluded that the sex differences in climate-related mortality are directly influenced by the “degree to which women enjoy social and economic rights.” In Southeast Asia, women represent a disproportionate percentage of the poor population. Women also shoulder the burden of securing food, water, and energy resources for the household, as well as fulfilling caregiving responsibilities. Climate-induced food and water shortages will only intensify women’s weak socio-economic status.
In Southeast Asia, women also make up a disproportionate percentage of workers in the informal sector, where they are paid less than men and operate under unfavorable working conditions, including exposure to sexual harassment. Rural women in Southeast Asia play an essential role in agricultural food production but face institutional barriers that prevent their economic independence. For example, in Vietnam, women represent 64 percent of the agricultural labor force but have limited control of environmental goods and services and participation in state agencies which set policy. In addition, structural barriers restricting women’s access to land, training in new cultivation techniques, and access to credit make it especially challenging for women farmers to adapt to climate change.
In confronting the impact of climate change on women and girls, it is essential to not only ensure gender-responsive mitigation and adaptation but also target the gender imbalances and patriarchal norms underpinning society. A gender policy assessment by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs in Cambodia revealed that traditional stereotypes and gender norms were the main barriers impeding women from gaining broader opportunities in education, economics, and politics. Initiatives must address the underlying causes of climate vulnerability as they relate to gender, such as discriminatory laws and attitudes, disproportionate rates of poverty, and the unequal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work.
Women are often viewed only as the victim in the face of climate change. However, young women across Southeast Asia, who remain largely unknown to the world, are working tirelessly to advance the green fight. For example, Nanticha Ocharoenchai organized Thailand’s first climate strike when she was only 22 years old. In addition, Cao Vinh Thinh founded the social movement Green Trees Vietnam to voice concerns about major corporations that were harming the environment. Furthermore, after Kimsor Lim was forcibly removed from her home in Cambodia, she created a network of women activists that challenged gender stereotypes. She also led efforts to stop the construction of a hydroelectric dam that would have threatened the indigenous population in the Areng Valley. The Areng Valley Campaign revealed how a grassroots movement built around a broad coalition of Khmer youth, including young women and girls, has succeeded in gaining policy resonance.
Civil society plays a key role in promoting the rights of women and girls, including in the context of climate change. However, civil society has been curtailed by governments who use oppressive laws, cut off funding, and harass civic actors, and Southeast Asia is no exception. For example, environmental activists are under grave threat in the Philippines, which had the highest number of activists killed in 2018. In addition, several members of Green Trees Vietnam have been arrested or detained by the police, and Cao Vinh Thinh continues to be interrogated by the Vietnamese government. Furthermore, Mother Nature Cambodia was blacklisted by the Cambodian government in 2017, and Kimsor has received threats from private companies and state authorities.
The climate crisis cannot be solved by governments alone. National adaptation plans are largely top-down in approach, yet climate change is locally felt. Governments should recognize that civil society organizations are closest to environmental issues and play a critical role in supporting sustainable outcomes. Civil society needs support to become more effective at advocating for women and girls as leaders in the fight against climate change amid rising pressure on activists. International NGOs should support local NGOs to develop gender-responsive policies that fit the needs of local communities. They should follow the lead of young women activists across Southeast Asia who are fighting the green fight to empower the voices of diverse women and girls on the ground as flag bearers of climate action.
Lily LaMattina is an Intern with the Southeast Asia Program at the Stimson Center. This year, Lily spoke at the United Nations for the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) about climate change and gender equality in Southeast Asia.
Women Are Key to Climate Action in Southeast Asia
By Lily LaMattina
Energy, Water & Oceans
The 66th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women last March reaffirmed the importance of women as agents of change for sustainable development and climate action. The Commission comes as the world urgently needs new and concerted action against a rapidly closing window to secure a livable future. In Southeast Asia, women are taking risks to fight the climate crisis, but gender inequality must be addressed to reach climate goals. International organizations and governments must recognize the essential role of women in climate action and support civil society to become more effective at advocating for women and girls amid rising pressure on activists.
Southeast Asia is among the world’s most at-risk regions to climate change due to its geographic exposure and high dependence on climate-sensitive sectors such as water resources and agriculture. In tackling climate change in Southeast Asia, it is important to recognize the varying adverse impacts on different gender groups. Increasing evidence reveals that women are much more likely to bear the brunt of climate stress in comparison to men. The UN estimates that globally women and girls are 14 times more likely than men to die during a climate disaster and that 80% of people displaced by climate change to date are women.
Women are most impacted by climate change not due to biological differences, but rather cultural norms and the inequitable distribution of roles, resources, and power. In 2009, the UN State of World Population Report concluded that the sex differences in climate-related mortality are directly influenced by the “degree to which women enjoy social and economic rights.” In Southeast Asia, women represent a disproportionate percentage of the poor population. Women also shoulder the burden of securing food, water, and energy resources for the household, as well as fulfilling caregiving responsibilities. Climate-induced food and water shortages will only intensify women’s weak socio-economic status.
In Southeast Asia, women also make up a disproportionate percentage of workers in the informal sector, where they are paid less than men and operate under unfavorable working conditions, including exposure to sexual harassment. Rural women in Southeast Asia play an essential role in agricultural food production but face institutional barriers that prevent their economic independence. For example, in Vietnam, women represent 64 percent of the agricultural labor force but have limited control of environmental goods and services and participation in state agencies which set policy. In addition, structural barriers restricting women’s access to land, training in new cultivation techniques, and access to credit make it especially challenging for women farmers to adapt to climate change.
In confronting the impact of climate change on women and girls, it is essential to not only ensure gender-responsive mitigation and adaptation but also target the gender imbalances and patriarchal norms underpinning society. A gender policy assessment by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs in Cambodia revealed that traditional stereotypes and gender norms were the main barriers impeding women from gaining broader opportunities in education, economics, and politics. Initiatives must address the underlying causes of climate vulnerability as they relate to gender, such as discriminatory laws and attitudes, disproportionate rates of poverty, and the unequal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work.
Women are often viewed only as the victim in the face of climate change. However, young women across Southeast Asia, who remain largely unknown to the world, are working tirelessly to advance the green fight. For example, Nanticha Ocharoenchai organized Thailand’s first climate strike when she was only 22 years old. In addition, Cao Vinh Thinh founded the social movement Green Trees Vietnam to voice concerns about major corporations that were harming the environment. Furthermore, after Kimsor Lim was forcibly removed from her home in Cambodia, she created a network of women activists that challenged gender stereotypes. She also led efforts to stop the construction of a hydroelectric dam that would have threatened the indigenous population in the Areng Valley. The Areng Valley Campaign revealed how a grassroots movement built around a broad coalition of Khmer youth, including young women and girls, has succeeded in gaining policy resonance.
Civil society plays a key role in promoting the rights of women and girls, including in the context of climate change. However, civil society has been curtailed by governments who use oppressive laws, cut off funding, and harass civic actors, and Southeast Asia is no exception. For example, environmental activists are under grave threat in the Philippines, which had the highest number of activists killed in 2018. In addition, several members of Green Trees Vietnam have been arrested or detained by the police, and Cao Vinh Thinh continues to be interrogated by the Vietnamese government. Furthermore, Mother Nature Cambodia was blacklisted by the Cambodian government in 2017, and Kimsor has received threats from private companies and state authorities.
The climate crisis cannot be solved by governments alone. National adaptation plans are largely top-down in approach, yet climate change is locally felt. Governments should recognize that civil society organizations are closest to environmental issues and play a critical role in supporting sustainable outcomes. Civil society needs support to become more effective at advocating for women and girls as leaders in the fight against climate change amid rising pressure on activists. International NGOs should support local NGOs to develop gender-responsive policies that fit the needs of local communities. They should follow the lead of young women activists across Southeast Asia who are fighting the green fight to empower the voices of diverse women and girls on the ground as flag bearers of climate action.
Lily LaMattina is an Intern with the Southeast Asia Program at the Stimson Center. This year, Lily spoke at the United Nations for the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) about climate change and gender equality in Southeast Asia.
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