Why gender in climate change fight is important

President Uhuru Kenyatta at a past function, he recently nominated members to the National Climate Change Council, pursuant to Climate Change Act, 2016.

NAIROBI, KENYA: Climate change has a greater impact on those sections of the Kenya population most of whom are reliant on natural resources for their livelihoods and or who have the least capacity to respond to natural hazards, such as droughts, landslides, and floods.

Women commonly face higher risks and greater burdens from the impacts of climate change in situations of poverty, and the majority of the rural poor are women. Women’s unequal participation in decision-making processes and labour market compound inequalities and often prevent women from fully contributing to climate-related planning, policy-making and implementation.

Yet, women can (and do) play a critical role in response to climate change due to their local knowledge of and leadership in sustainable resource management and or leading sustainable practices at the household and community level.

Women’s participation at the political level has resulted in greater responsiveness to citizen’s needs, often increasing cooperation across party and ethnic lines and delivering more sustainable peace.

At the local level, women’s inclusion at the leadership level has led to improved outcomes of climate related projects and policies. On the contrary, if policies or projects are implemented without women’s meaningful participation it can increase existing inequalities and decrease effectiveness.

Kenya Forests Working Group has recognised the importance of involving women and men equally in forestry and climate change adaptation and mitigation processes and in the development and implementation of Forest Conservation and Management Act 2016 and Climate Change Act 2016 and related legislation, plans and Strategies that are gender-responsive by establishing a dedicated agenda item under the Climate Change Council to help address issues of gender and climate change and by including them in the National Climate Change Council.

Pursuant to section seven of the Climate Change Act, 2016. We thank H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya and the Cabinet Secretary, Judi Wakhungu for nominating the following suitable and qualified persons for appointment as Members of the Climate Change Council.

Mr. Suresh Patel, Mr. John Kioli, Ms. Cynthia Wechabe, Dr. Jane Mutheu Mutune

On behalf of KFWG members in accordance with section 6(9) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, 2011. We appeal to the two committee to fastrack the appointment of the nominees to help in the climate change fight.

Jackson Bambo is National coordinator Kenya Forests Working Group