Climate change affects everyone — but not equally.
As Soroptimists, our six charitable objects guide everything we do. Yet the growing impacts of rising temperatures, floods, droughts, and food insecurity cut across them all. Around the world, and across our Federation, environmental challenges often hit women and girls hardest, deepening existing inequalities and creating new ones.
Here are just some of the ways women and girls are directly, and disproportionately, affected by climate emergencies.
- Caring responsibilities: Women often take on the majority of unpaid care work. During climate-related crises, like floods or energy shortages, they may face increased stress and time burdens looking after children, the elderly, or those with health conditions.
- Increased workload: Increased care responsibilities can have a knock-on effect on increased workloads, where women often have to reduce their own time for education or work. Droughts, food or resource scarcity caused by climate change can call for women to travel longer distances and increase physical burdens while sourcing food, water, even firewood.
- Health risks: Women and girls are more exposed to health problems from climate-related disasters such as malnutrition during food shortages, or higher risks of disease during floods due to poor sanitation and limited access to healthcare.
- Gender-based violence: Displacement after disasters can increase the risk of sexual violence and exploitation in refugee camps or temporary shelters. Evidence shows that domestic abuse rates can rise after disasters, linked to stress, displacement, and economic hardship.
- Education disruption: During climate crises, girls are more likely to be pulled out of school to help at home or to save on costs, reducing their long-term opportunities.
Soroptimist Action: Improving Our Environment: This feature film (50 minutes) showcases the work of our clubs around the world, with projects to make a difference in our communities. Watch it below:
As well as working to reduce environmental impacts Soroptimists also work to inform and educate on simple ways we can all make a difference. We have recently developed a series of information cards which show how simple steps can make a big difference.
Use the links below to view our climate cards:
Click here to view information on our mangrove planting project.
If you wish to know more, or would like sets of cards for your own campaign or outlet, please contact our Programme Director on programmedirector@sigbi.org.