CSW 66 side event: “Women’s time IS money”- Climate change and unpaid care work impact on women’s profits in agriculture

The adverse effects of climate change continue to overly burden the poorest and the most vulnerable, especially poor women. This is primarily because women are more dependent for their livelihood on natural resources that are threatened by climate change. Furthermore, women represent more than half of the agricultural workforce in Africa and thus face social, economic, and political barriers that limit their coping capacities. In many developing economies, women are charged with the responsibility to secure water, food, and fuel for cooking due to societal structures and gender roles that confine women and thus, they consequently face the greatest challenges when unfavorable weather conditions strike including the increased. Women’s responsibilities to provide for their family’s needs are also often very time-consuming leaving women time-poor. When coupled with unequal access to resources and to decision-making processes, limited mobility in rural areas, this limits women to a position where they are disproportionately affected by climate change. UN Women will be hosting a side event following studies undertaken on Costing the Gender Gap in Agricultural Productivity in Selected Countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The discussion will focus on potential strategies to increase agricultural productivity, adapt and mitigate climate change, lower women’s unpaid agriculture and care work, increase access to decent employment and overall improve women’s lives and their communities in Africa.

Concept note available here

Register in advance for the webinar:

https://unwomen.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eTWJ1APWTJSFviwa1gbwvA

Speakers include:

• Ms. Jemimah Njuki - UN Women Chief of Economic Empowerment Section, Headquarters Office
• Mr. Frank Turyatunga Regional Director OIC - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• Ms. Zebib Kavuma - Deputy Regional Director, UN Women East, and Southern Africa Regional Office

Study on the cost of gender gap in agriculture productivity in East and Southern Africa will be presented by the study author – Prof. Haroon Akram Lodhi

Discussion:

• Malawi Government (TBC)
• United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP (TBC)
• Prof. Haroon Akram Lodhi (Study author)
• Therese Gondwe – Women’s Economic Empowerment Specialist UN Women Malawi Country Office

The session will be moderated by Mehjabeen Alarakhia, Regional Women Economic Empowerment Policy Specialist, UN Women