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The United Nations Population Fund released a report last week that spotlighted a little researched aspect of climate-change: its affect on women. In many parts of the world women make up the majority of agricultural workers. They also spend more time collecting food and fuel for their families. And, because they provide domestic labor, women manage the energy consumption of homes. These activities put women in the best position to develop and implement sustainable farming methods and utilize “green” technologies in their homes. However, where the decision making power of women is limited by gender inequality, their life-saving contributions are inhibited. The UN report, titled, “FACING A CHANGING WORLD: WOMEN, POPULATION AND CLIMATE”, endorses gender equality to combat the negative effects of climate change. Through research and first-hand accounts, it argues that women are disproportionately affected by climate change. But through increased access to education, reproductive control, and decision-making power, they can become agents of positive change.

GUEST: Sarah Craven, Chief of the Washington Office of the United Nations Population Fund

Read the report at www.unfpa.org.