The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has said women and girls face the brunt of the climate crisis that exacerbates pre-existing inequalities, jeopardises their food security, and feeds instability and migration.
The UN agency, in a statement to commemorate the 2022 International Women’s Day (IWD), said the climate crisis mostly affects women in rural communities.
It said women and girls often lack appropriate access to disaster information, financial services, and participation in community decision-making and resource allocation.
The agency said such inequalities undermine the ability of women to prepare for, cope with and recover from climate shocks and stresses.
“Women are the bedrock of food security and yet are hardest hit by climate shocks and food insecurity,” the assistant Executive Director of WFP, Valerie Guarnieri said.
Ms Guarnieri said a sustainable future is only possible when women and girls have what they need to adapt to the changing climate.
International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is an annual commemoration of women’s cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements.
It is observed annually on March 8 to raise awareness about issues on gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
The theme for this year’s edition is ‘Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow’.
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The United Nations said the theme recognises the contribution of women and girls around the world who play a crucial role in climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Collaboration
The statement indicates that the WFP worked with the UN Women and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Nigeria, to implement a resilience development and livelihoods project funded by the European Union (EU).
It said the project supported some 140,000 conflict-affected households in Borno State, including over 53,000 female-headed households, with the skills and inputs to restart their agriculture-based livelihoods activities and enhance food security.
The statement reads in part: “The key aims of the initiative are to boost food security and to empower the benefitting households with various inputs to restart agricultural production in the state.
“Under the project, WFP provided cash transfers to the supported households to safeguard investments in agriculture and sustain the food consumption levels of the families.
“Some of the cash was provided through bank accounts, thereby contributing to financial inclusion among the vulnerable populations. Equally, the fresh food vouchers component of the project helped to link the local farmers to the consumers who are vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity.
“In a year when humanitarian needs are on an upward trend and aid agencies are stretched thin, supporting communities vulnerable to the harsh realities of the climate crisis is the need of the hour.”
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