Global Climate Resilience Fund

Context

  • The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) along with the SEWA, and other organisations announced a 50 million-dollar Global Climate Resilience Fund for women. 

About

  • Global Climate Resilience Fund:
    • The fund will empower women and communities to fight climate change and help provide new livelihood resources and education.
    • It aims to provide solutions to the problems of women working under the sun, especially for workers in the informal sector like construction, waste recycling, plastic, farming, etc. 
    • The fund brings together a group of concerned people like the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), Rockefeller Resilience Centre, Desai Foundation, the AI Gore Foundation, Council for Inclusive Capitalism, and the American India Foundation.
    • The members do not have to pay insurance premiums and during extreme heat conditions when one does not work, this insurance will provide regular income.
  • Clinton Global Initiative:
    • The CGI is a membership-based organization that brings together leaders from across the business, government, and nonprofit sectors to drive action on global challenges.

Challenges faced by women due to Climate Change

  • Reduced Economic Opportunities: Climate change can disrupt livelihoods, particularly in communities relying on agriculture or fishing, resulting in reduced economic opportunities for women.
  • Forced Migration: Climate-related natural disasters and rising sea levels can result in migration, which can lead to increased insecurity for women.
  • Water Scarcity: The girls and women are traditionally allotted tasks of collecting firewood and water and are asked to travel for long distances to provide for their families.
  • Health Risks: Climate change can facilitate the spread of diseases such as malaria and dengue and negatively affect women’s reproductive health.
  • Food Insecurity: Climate change affects agriculture and leads to food shortages, women and children are often the first to suffer from hunger.
  • Increased Care Responsibilities: Climate change exacerbates existing gender inequalities and increases the care responsibilities for women, who are often in charge of their family’s health and well-being.

Way Ahead

  • To address the challenges faced by women due to climate change, the following solutions can be implemented:
    • Climate Resilient Infrastructure: Climate-resilient infrastructure, including clean water systems, improved agriculture methods, and disaster-resistant housing, can help alleviate the effects of climate change on women.
    • Climate-Smart Agriculture: Adopting climate-smart agriculture techniques, like conservation agriculture and agroforestry, can increase food security and reduce the effects of climate change on women’s livelihoods.
    • Economic Empowerment for Women: Women should have access to resources and opportunities, such as education and job training, to help them adapt to the impacts of climate change. Eg. Mudra Yojana
    • Care Work Support: Providing support for care work, such as paid leave and child care, can ease the burden on women and enable them to participate in climate-related activities.
    • Gender-Inclusive Strategies: Climate change policies and initiatives should consider the unique needs and experiences of women.
    • Reproductive and Health Rights: Ensuring access to reproductive health services and family planning can help women adapt to the impacts of climate change. Eg. Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan 
    • The Government schemes like UJJwala and Har Ghar Jal scheme can help fight women’s challenges regarding water scarcity and the collection of wood.

                                                        Additional Information

  • Climate Resilience Fund: The Climate Resilience Fund mobilizes resources to support resilience and sustainability outcomes in communities across the U.S. and for the natural systems on which they depend.
  • Global Climate Resilience Program: The programme aims to help people adapt their lives and livelihoods to our changing climate, protect themselves from the increasing risks of disasters caused by climate change and become more aware of, and resilient to, current and future climate shocks.

Source: IE

 
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