Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges of our time – and it does not affect everyone equally. As rising temperatures, floods, droughts, and other climate-induced disasters force millions from their homes, a growing number of people are becoming climate migrants. But behind the statistics lies a critical truth: climate migration is a deeply gendered process.
Across the world, women and girls face unique risks and challenges when climate change disrupts their lives and livelihoods. In many regions, gender norms, cultural expectations, and unequal access to resources make it harder for them to adapt or migrate safely. As men often move first to seek income opportunities, women are left behind, bearing the brunt of household responsibilities while facing growing environmental risks. Even when women do migrate, they are disproportionately exposed to exploitation, discrimination, and violence, including human trafficking and gender-based violence.
In rural areas, where families rely on natural resources for food and income, climate shocks such as droughts and floods increase the burden on women and girls. They must walk farther to collect water and firewood, spend more time caring for children and the elderly, and struggle with food insecurity. This unpaid care work leaves little time for women to engage in paid work, participate in community decision-making, or learn about adaptation strategies. The result? A cycle of vulnerability that traps many women in poverty and limits their resilience.
Women also face systemic barriers to rebuilding their lives after displacement. They are less likely to own land, access financial services, or receive social protection. Discrimination based on ethnicity, race, age, disability, or migration status further compounds their exclusion. For single women, securing housing, employment, and healthcare is often more difficult, especially in places where patriarchal structures dominate public and private life.
Despite these challenges, women are not just victims of climate change. They are also powerful agents of resilience, adaptation, and leadership. In many communities, women are at the forefront of organizing local responses to environmental degradation, advocating for climate justice, and building sustainable futures. Migrant women send remittances, support families, and bring vital knowledge and strength to the communities they join.
To effectively respond to climate migration, gender must be at the core of policies and programs. This means conducting gender analyses when designing climate and migration strategies, investing in gender-responsive disaster planning, and including women -especially those from marginalized backgrounds- in decision-making spaces at all levels. Frameworks like the Paris Agreement, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Global Compact for Migration must fully integrate gender perspectives to ensure equitable and durable solutions.
Ultimately, addressing climate migration with a gender lens is not just a matter of justice, it is a matter of effectiveness. If we want to build inclusive, resilient societies, we must listen to and uplift the voices of women and girls who are navigating the frontlines of the climate crisis. They are not only survivors, they are solution-bearers, community builders, and essential leaders in shaping a climate-resilient future.
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