BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
The latest report by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in partnership with Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has revealed that droughts are responsible for 15 per cent of disaster-related economic losses and 85.8 per cent of livestock deaths globally.
It highlighted that women and girls are not only experiencing greater hardships but are also demonstrating remarkable leadership in the face of drought.
The United Nations General Assembly had designated October 15 annually as International Day of Rural Women, to raise awareness on the role and situation of women in rural areas.
Launched on International Day of Rural Women, the report titled: "Women-led Solutions for Drought Resilience", indicated that women produce up to 80 per cent of food in developing countries, yet own less than 20 per cent of lands.
The report indicated the need to support women-led efforts to protect vulnerable communities from the devastating effects of drought. It also underscored that women's land rights are crucial for achieving food security.
Executive Secretary of UNCCD, Ibrahim Thiaw hinted that women have been viewed as the most vulnerable to drought, but are also the most resilient, leading the way in developing solutions to one of the world's most pressing challenges.
"The ingenuity and resourcefulness of women combatting drought around the world is boundless. Whether in the Africa’s Sahel region, in northern Kenya, in Iran, in Peru or in Morocco, women have proven their resilience and their ability to overcome the most inextricable conditions to keep their families thriving.
"Addressing gender inequality is not only about fairness—it is an opportunity to harness untapped potential in the fight against climate change," he added.
The report is supported by the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA), Government of Canada and German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ).
Gender Inequality
Women and girls are disproportionately affected by drought due to persistent structural gender inequalities that limit their access to essential resources such as land, water, and financial services.
These inequalities also place formidable workloads on women and girls. In many drought-impacted areas, women are primarily responsible for collecting water, often walking long distances, thereby putting their health and safety at risk.
The report revealed that women manage unpaid care work, such as caring for children and the elderly, which further complicated their ability to cope with drought and underscored the need for drought plans to take into account specific challenges faced by women.
Key Findings
Despite facing systemic barriers such as limited land ownership, women are developing innovative solutions that enable their communities to adapt to the increasingly harsh environmental conditions.
Though women produce up to 80 per cent of the food in developing countries but own less than 20 per cent of the land globally, the disparity limit their access to resources such as credit and training, and their ability to recover from droughts exacerbating their vulnerability to climate change.
Aside the disaster-related economic losses globally and livestock deaths, in rain-fed agricultural regions, drought threatens the livelihoods of women, who make up a significant portion of the agricultural labour force.
The report also showed that up to 40 per cent of the world’s land is degraded, affecting over 3.2 billion people. As a result of land degradation and drought, many women are forced to walk longer distances to access clean water and gather fuel wood for their families.
It also highlighted that securing land rights for women improves household nutrition, increases spending on children’s education, and enhances overall economic conditions.
Women-led Initiatives
The report featured 35 case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, showcasing women's leadership in addressing drought resilience. From water conservation practices to climate-smart farming techniques, the examples illustrated how women are driving progress and building resilience to drought.
In Peru, pastoralist women combine modern and traditional knowledge to manage water resources using ecohydrological monitoring by ensuring year-round vegetation to support livestock and mitigate drought crises.
For India, women have developed rainwater collection systems during monsoons, which led to securing water for crops during dry periods and safeguarding food production.
But in Kyrgyzstan, women are restoring degraded land by cultivating medicinal herbs in a bid to create both environmental recovery and sustainable income sources.
Ahead COP16
The findings of the report will inform discussions at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to UNCCD, expected to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from December 2 to 13 2024.
A key focus of UNCCD COP16, including its gender caucus, will be scaling up women-led initiatives and ensuring that gender-responsive strategies are at the heart of global drought resilience efforts.
In addition, increased investment in these strategies will be critical for supporting communities in addressing the growing environmental challenges posed by desertification, land degradation and drought worldwide.
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