Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow
Advancing gender equality in the context of the climate crisis and disaster risk reduction is one of the greatest global challenges of the 21st century.
Women are increasingly being recognized as more vulnerable to climate change impacts than men, as they constitute the majority of the world’s poor and are more dependent on the natural resources which climate change threatens the most.
At the same time, women and girls are effective and powerful leaders and change-makers for climate adaptation and mitigation. They are involved in sustainability initiatives around the world, and their participation and leadership results in more effective climate action.
Continuing to examine the opportunities, as well as the constraints, to empower women and girls to have a voice and be equal players in decision-making related to climate change and sustainability is essential for sustainable development and greater gender equality. Without gender equality today, a sustainable future, and an equal future, remains beyond our reach.
This International Women’s Day, let’s claim “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”.
Learn, feel moved and help
UN Women has prepared a large number of multimedia content to stay informed, learn about personal stories and spread the message in favor of gender equality. We invite you to collaborate with the agency on this year's theme and post on your social networks the GIFs, illustrations, data cards, slogans and videos that the agency shares.
UN courses about gender and climate change
Gender and environment
¿Do you want to find out why promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment can help deliver better environmental outcomes, and to figure out how you can do it?
Gender Equality and Human Rights in Climate Action and Renewable Energy
This self-paced e-course provides an overview of the interlinkages between gender, human rights, climate change, and renewable energy. t provides participants with the specific knowledge and tools to integrate and implement gender equality in renewable energy access and entrepreneurship.
Did you know?
- Seventy per cent of the 1.3 billion people living in conditions of poverty are women. In urban areas, 40 per cent of the poorest households are headed by women.
- Women predominate in the world's food production (50-80 per cent), but they own less than 10 per cent of the land.
- 80 per cent of the displaced by climate related disasters and changes around the world are women and girls.
- Climate change may lead to more gender-based violence, an increase in child marriages, and worsening sexual and reproductive health.
Watch
It’s not too late: Climate action for women, by women
Events
United Nations observance of International Women’s Day 2022
The Observance will be marked by a high-level virtual event on Tuesday, 8 March 2022, 10–11.30 a.m. EST with UN representatives, gender equality and climate change activists and celebrities. The event will be followed by a high-level panel discussion and musical performances.
