Research has shown that women are adversely impacted by the effects of climate change in Jordan, since women comprise a larger majority of the poor and their livelihoods are mostly dependent on natural resources which are threatened by climate change. According to a UN Women on the economic participation of women in the government of Jordan, women’s economic participation did not surpass 15% as of 2012, in contrast to the 61.3% of men. Additionally, in accordance with the Global Competition Report, Jordan is ranked 133 out of 134 with regards to economic participation, which evidently indicates the minimal contribution of women towards economic development hinders Jordan’s overall economic participation. When extreme weather brings droughts or floods to marginal lands or crowded urban areas where poverty is most felt, women will suffer the most. Further, climate change affects in countries that are most exposed to drought and desertification like Jordan. The Government of Jordan recognized this risk and has been taking active measures to combat the adverse impacts of climate change. However, there is a lack of structured dialogue and planning with women, especially in rural and agricultural communities, with high exposure to these weather events; thus leaving their voices unheard and their needs in this fight against climate change unmet.
Women, in rural areas of Jordan, are put in a position where they are disproportionately affected by climate change. They face unequal access to resources, barriers to decision-making, and limited mobility. Cultural norms dictate that women are charged with the responsibility to secure water, food, and fuel for cooking and heating therefore, subjecting them to great challenges. For example, lack of access to fuel or gas for cooking, heating or lighting causes women to find alternative sources for fire like solid fuels, primarily biomass and coal. These fires produce excessive amounts of particulate and gaseous emissions because of the inefficient combustion. The concentrations of these emissions can be many times greater than the worst outdoor air quality reading. This also leads to negative health impacts that include mostly respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia, heart disease, lung cancer, low birth weight and asthma. In 2010, air pollution from indoor fires was responsible for 4 million deaths globally, almost entirely in least developed and developing nations. In addition, almost 9.1% of female-headed households are food insecure or vulnerable to food insecurity in Jordan, compared to 5.7% of male-headed families. This leads to additional health and nutritional implications for women and the families they are supporting. These include obesity, negative pregnancy outcomes, and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. It is therefore of critical importance for gender-sensitive strategies to be identified and developed to respond to the environmental and humanitarian crises caused by climate change.
As women in general face unequal participation in decision making that prevent them from contributing to climate related planning, policy making, and implementation; the engagement of women as stakeholders leads to more inclusive and successful action on climate change adaptation. They have a significant role in society, in addressing climate change issues and ensuring that everyone particularly youth, have access to the resources they need to live a healthy and productive life. Jordan’s understanding and effective engagement considering the gendered dimension of climate change, is key for achieving sustainable development.
