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Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Senior Reporter

Women’s participation in climate change action needs continuous effort from the Government and its partners through sensitisation, education and empowerment of women in communities to build resilience against its devastating effects on livelihoods.

Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu, in a speech read on his behalf by director human resources in the Ministry, Mrs Brenda Madamombe said women children, youth, and people with disabilities were disproportionately affected by the impact of climate change and required special adaptation and resilience building support.

“Women, children, youths and people with disabilities commonly face higher risks and greater burdens from the impacts of climate change in situations of poverty, droughts, floods, tropical cyclones and several other impacts of climate change.

“Women and men are differentially affected by the impacts of climate hence it is important that processes and systems that guide the formulation of plans, strategies and budgeting are gender sensitive and gender responsive to address the climate change related gender inequalities,” he said.

He said the Government had made great strides towards the improvement of the livelihoods of women and the girl child, which could be evidenced by the vast initiatives that have been implemented towards empowering the woman and the girl child.

“Women and the girl child are also essential as leaders and drivers of climate adaptation and mitigation solutions.

“Overall, women also manage approximately 40 percent of the smallholder farms which are pillars of food production,  but there are still some gaps in terms of financial and technical support,” Minister Ndlovu said.

Zimbabwe is only one of African countries that have made improvements within the last few decades towards climate change and gender mainstreaming.

The Government developed the National Gender Policy in 2021 where in issues of climate change were incorporated through support from the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access.

Minister Ndlovu said the Government had also made significant strides towards the mainstreaming of gender through assessment of the implications of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels so that women and men benefit equally.