“The Day After Tomorrow” was a movie released in 2004, portraying the end of the world due to climate change. Sixteen years later, it still feels like we are not implementing truly effective and radical climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. Jordan is one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change due to the rise in temperature and population. Empowering women can be one of the key factors in enabling greater resilience towards these vulnerabilities. Women, as agents of change, are considered to be a catalyst in achieving sustainable development, which in turn can support governments against the threats imposed by climate change.

Jordan has taken the lead in its response toward climate change and gender mainstreaming in the region. The country has profoundly emphasized that there is sufficient to prove the presence of a gender gap in Jordan is rather prominent with regards to women having lower income wages, higher unemployment rates; in its the Second and Third National Communication reports to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Despite the challenges encountered, Jordan has advocated for adaptation measures to be executed with regards to active engagement of local communities in strengthening networks and local associations and societies, while considering gender aspects as well. Additionally, Jordan has also began establishing methods on identifying and designing effective strategies towards promoting gender equality.

According to a study done by UN WOMEN, women in rural areas are the ones most affected by the impacts of climate change in the areas of agriculture, livestock, and water. Women’s participation in those sectors bring about significant leverage in reducing the effects of climate change. Due to their critical role in their communities as practitioners, educators, and prominent agents of change, women can advise and carry out measures and policies associated with water management, energy, agricultural science, food security, and economic development. Climate change mitigation is not only categorized by the reduction of greenhouse gases but also about the establishment of a social and financial ecosystem adopting mutual and comprehensive gender equality and growth. A survey done on respondents from the areas of Mafraq and Irbid revealed a visible gap between rural communities, with regards to the contribution of women towards tackling climate change processes, such as water scarcity, agricultural difficulties, and many more.

Though national climate policies have been developed over the last decade, activities which empower women in the implementation of these measure is still lacking.  More needs to be done to demonstrate women as both beneficiaries and change agents in climate action.  This will require awareness-raising in the total population as well as  enabling a learning ecosystem for rural women’s capacity building on the effects and mitigation and adaptation measures. Once this is put in place, Jordan’s climate action with regards to climate action will become much more inclusive and thus effective.