Stakeholders Set Agenda For Gender Sensitive Tackling of Climate Change

As the rains become heavier and more frequent with weather experts calling for urgent actions to save flood prone areas from impending disaster in the country, concerned Niger Deltans have called for urgent proactive adaptation measures by governments and community leaders in the region against flooding.
The call was made at a one-day sensitization programme on climate change titled, ‘Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation and Impact on Gender, a learning and experience sharing’ which held Wednesday, July 19, 2023 at Aldgate Hotel, Port Harcourt.
The participants drawn from flood impacted areas of Rivers State, recognized through research evidence and personal narratives stated, that climate change has disproportionate impact on women and that women constitute about 70 percent of the farmers displaced and disposed by a flooding that has become an annual occurrence with dire consequences for women economically, socially and health wise.
They called for an intentional inclusion of women by government and community leaders, in all climate change adaptation and mitigation plans.
Their further demands for adequate addressing of climate change challenges include:
That communities should develop community specific adaptation plans for combating climate change menace,
That women should form a strong pressure group to demand the implementation of the national and state gender policies on climate change.
That women should exhibit the desire to challenge systems that deny them their rights and privileges.
That climate change adds to the poverty engendered in women by oil pollution and the resultant environmental degradation and so, women need serious financial support, new life skills development and empowerment to be able to effectively adapt to the reality of climate change.
That women should be part of every climate change decision making to avoid the existing faulty systematic compensation story that deprives them of equal sharing in relief and compensation matters.
That more women should be educated and sensitization on new mitigation and adaptation knowledge be continuously conducted.
That collective environmental friendly habits be adopted by all.
That the Nigerian government and international organs managing climate change funds should channel more of the climate finance to adaptation rather than the current state of allocating only five per cent to adaptation and this should go directly to frontline communities impacted by the climate change.
That Niger Delta state governments should direct ecological funds from the federal government to addressing flood adaptation matters.
Prof Fidelis Allen of the University of Port Harcourt who kicked off the learning and sharing discussion, said the Niger Delta region is very sensitive to climate change because of its low coastlines and reliance on natural resources.
He identified the challenges of climate change as sea level rise, coastal erosion, unpredictable weather, increasing incidents of sea encroachment, flooding, leading to a distortion of the livelihood of the people with serious consequences for both men and women.
Prof Allen noted that the commitment of environment polluters to mitigate climate change have not been fulfilled, noting that policies do not bring about change unless they are accompanied with human, material and financial support to make them work.
Executive director of We the People, a non-governmental organization based in Port Harcourt, Mr Ken Henshaw in his presentation on ‘Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation-Impact on Gender,’ pointed out that even though climate change affects all, there is very limited knowledge about what it really is.
He described climate change as unpredictable weather condition which cannot be changed having been with man for a long while without mitigation. Consequently, man will have to live with it.
Henshaw described climate change as the most existential challenge in humanity.
“Climate change is by far, the most existential challenge facing mankind today…It is talked about everywhere in the world.”
Describing climate change as a capitalist economy issue, the We the People ED said 600 lobbyists were recruited at the last COP in Egypt, to protect corporate vested interest of the polluters.
He added that all major West African cities lie along the Atlantic Ocean and that as predicted by experts, half of West African cities will disappear if sea rise continues as a result of climate change.
He then stressed that the major impact of climate change is felt by women especially, those in the rural areas who rely on the environment for their needs.
According to him, climate change destroys women’s livelihood sources, their ability to put food on the table, socio-economic well-being and health. He said women more than men about climate change being closer to nature yet are not contacted for information on solutions.
To reduce the impact of climate change, Henshaw said more emphasis should be on adaptation and that what Niger Delta with the reality of flooding needs is adaptation finance.
Organizer of the programme, Henry Eferebo, the executive director of Olegh Center for Community Development, OCCD, in his opening remark had said the event was an experience sharing and learning programme to highlight the harsh effects of climate change on women, examine mitigation and adaptation measures available and what can work to offset the impact on women.
He said women suffer heavy consequences including loss of family members especially children, disruption of the traditional livelihood of farming and fishing as well as marriage break-ups as a result of flooding.
According to him, the programme funded by Gagga, is being carried out in different places by three partners-OCCD, Kebetkache and HOMEF with plans to reach out beyond Nigeria.