Latest news with #CAREInternationalUK
Euronews
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Why women should be leading climate action, according to the experts
Only eight out of 78 world leaders at the last climate summit were women. How can we fix that? ADVERTISEMENT The climate crisis doesn't affect everyone equally - women and girls bear the brunt of the suffering, largely because they make up the majority of the world's poor. In rural areas, it is women and girls often responsible for securing water, food, and firewood for their families. During drought and floods, women are forced to work harder and walk further. As climate change exacerbates conflicts, inequalities and vulnerabilities, women also face increased risks of gender-based violence. When extreme weather hits, women and children are 14 times more likely to die than men, and an estimated four out of five people displaced by the impacts of climate change are women and girls. 'Put simply: climate change is sexist,' Helen Pankhurst, senior advisor on gender equality at CARE International UK tells Euronews Green. 'It's a feminist issue which threatens the fundamental rights of women and girls.' Despite the labour burden climate changes places on women, they are on the ground 'leading the charge when it comes to grassroots campaigning and inspiring change,' according to Pankhurst. 'They're pulling together their communities and showing leadership in coming up with solutions, demonstrating resilience and delivering hope for a better future,' she says. 'They are also leading in civil society, fighting back against policies which are doing irreparable harm. There is a groundswell of women standing up and saying things must change; they're just not in seats of political power.' Only eight out of 78 world leaders at the last climate summit were women 'It is deeply frustrating that the women and girls whose lives are so disproportionately affected are not being heard on the global stage,' says Pankhurst. 'Climate and gender justice go hand in hand; you can't have one without the other.' Only eight out of 78 world leaders who participated in the most recent COP29 were women. Although delegations at the UN climate conference are consistently increasing in numbers, women's representation has stagnated and even decreased. Bianca Pitt, co-founder of SHE Changes Climate, a campaign to get women equally represented at international climate negotiations and beyond, tells Euronews why it is vital women be included in climate talks and negotiations. 'When women suffer, everyone suffers,' she says. 'It has a knock-on effect.' If women - ideally from economically marginalised backgrounds - aren't included in decision making about climate change, then women's lived experiences and perspectives aren't being heard. 'If we only have a select group of people making decisions, the decisions will be incomplete - they won't have the desired outcome,' she adds. 'The majority of decisions are made by men for men and women. That creates a blind spot because we can only make decisions based on our own lived experience in the peer group we are in.' Women in power leads to stronger climate policies, studies show Pitt said it isn't 'fair' that women aren't included in the most important discussions being had about our planet, but it isn't just about fairness – it's about what is going to produce the best outcomes. When decision-making processes incorporate the perspectives of men and women, solutions are more comprehensive and robust. ADVERTISEMENT One study on gender and climate change found that female representation in national parliaments across 91 countries correlated with more stringent climate change policies and lower carbon emissions. Another Italian study found that women leaders prioritise proper waste management, decreasing the misuse of water, energy and resources. In the private sector, research shows that companies with a bigger share of women on their boards are more likely to improve energy efficiency, reduce firms' overall environmental impact and invest in renewable energy. Women-led firms make more efforts to curb emissions and have better results for environmental, social and governance indicators. ADVERTISEMENT 'Research shows the economies in which women participate are more resilient – they're stronger, more productive, and have better outcomes for everyone,' Pitt says. It's the same for nations and businesses for whom women lead on climate change, she says. When women are involved in making decisions on climate change, policies are more likely to succeed. Why aren't more women leading on climate change? 'We know that women are leading on climate change at a grassroots level and within civil society; we see it at CARE International through our programmes all over the world,' Pankhurst says. 'Women are leading the climate response in their homes and communities, coming up with innovative and sustainable solutions like leading agriculture cooperatives, encouraging their communities to plant drought-resistant crops, and creating early warning systems that save the lives and livelihoods of women who don't have access to traditional media.' ADVERTISEMENT If the evidence so starkly shows the need for women leading on climate change, then why are women still underrepresented as climate change leaders in politics? 'There's definitely a gender bias,' says Pitt. 'It's real and strong.' Perhaps there is a lurking, unconscious gender bias that distrusts women leaders or thinks they don't display the authority or assertiveness of men, as explored by the BBC when Kamala Harris became the first woman vice president of the United States. And according to Pitt, lack of female representation about climate on the national level is in part due to lack of representation. ADVERTISEMENT 'If you don't have women leading, you don't set the example for younger women to take that career,' she says. 'If you don't see women leading these conferences, young girls won't be inspired - they'll think it is just men in grey suits.' How can more women reach climate leadership positions? Public bodies, businesses, and governments are starting to realise the unconscious biases toward women in the climate change sector, but there isn't time to wait around for a slow, organic change, the experts argue. 'Organic growth [of women leading on climate change] is not delivering the results,' Pitt says. '50 per cent of delegations of climate negotiations have to be women as per the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan.' Pitt also urges that women be 'skilled up' to join negotiations, and be given ample amount of speaking time. ADVERTISEMENT 'If a woman chairs something, the remaining women in the room are more likely to speak up,' she says. By 'shining a light' on the women already leading in this space, younger girls will be inspired to follow - they will see it's possible to lead.' Likewise, Pankhurst - who, yes, is the great-granddaughter of British suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst - wants to see 'more room made at the table for women and girls to speak into this crisis.' 'We need to fund women-led organisations working in this space; supporting them to thrive and make a real difference at a political level locally, nationally and globally,' she says. ADVERTISEMENT And, this International Women's Day (8 March), there's no time to maintain the status quo. 'We don't have time to waste - climate change is here, now. It's not some far off threat,' she adds. 'We don't have the luxury of time.'
Web Release
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Web Release
UK aid cuts: More than 90 activists and advocates call on UK Government to back women with UK Aid as polling shows public support
By Editor_wr On Mar 9, 2025 Club de Madrid supports CARE's campaign ahead of International Women's Day, joining activists, advocates, and global leaders in urging the UK Government to allocate at least 20% of its aid budget to gender equality. Following newly announced aid cuts, the UK Government is at risk of backtracking on its promise to put women and girls at the heart of its foreign policy, a group of activists, advocates, and celebrities warn today. In an open letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy ahead of International Women's Day (March 8th), the group calls on the government to allocate at least 20% of UK aid directly to achieving gender equality. The signatories include the CEOs of CARE International UK and Oxfam, as well as several members of Club de Madrid: Eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, former President of Mongolia (2009-2017) Tsakhia Elbegdorj, former President of Mexico (2000-2006) Vicente Fox, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea (2008-2009) and Vice President of Club de Madrid Seung-soo Han, former President of Croatia (2010-2015) Ivo Josipovi?, former President of Sri Lanka (1994-2005) Chandrika Kumaratunga, former President of Albania (1997-2002) Rexhep Meidani, former President of Nigeria (1976-1979; 1999-2007) Olusegun Obasanjo, former Prime Minister of Senegal (2013-2014) Aminata Touré, and former President of Switzerland (2010; 2017) Doris Leuthard. This warning and call to action come after the Prime Minister announced that the UK's already-reduced aid budget would be cut further to support an increase in defense spending. Research from CARE International UK shows that previous aid cuts failed to consider the impact on women and girls, who were disproportionately affected. 'Women are already leading efforts to tackle today's greatest challenges – from humanitarian crises to grassroots movements and international negotiations. Yet their vital work is held back by attacks on their rights and a lack of investment in their leadership,' the letter states. 'We cannot wait generations for equality, prosperity, or peace.' A survey commissioned by CARE International UK reveals that: 65% of the British public believes it is either very or quite important that the UK government uses its aid budget to protect women's and girls' rights around the world. This includes more than half of 2024 Conservative (64%), Labour (77%), and Reform (50%) voters. Only 8% of Britons believe it is unimportant. 67% of the British public believes that supporting women's and girls' rights worldwide does not come at the expense of economic growth. Only 11% think such efforts slow economic growth. The letter follows data analysis released by CARE in February, which found that the previous UK Government significantly reduced funding for women and girls worldwide, jeopardizing decades of global progress on gender equality. The research shows that UK aid spending on gender equality has declined every year since 2019, nearly halving from £6.3bn in 2019 to £3.4bn in 2022. This makes 2022 the joint lowest year on record since the UK began tracking gender equality spending in 2014, with cuts disproportionately affecting programs for women and girls. Explaining why the group coordinated the letter, Helen McEachern, CEO of CARE International UK, said: 'The Prime Minister has followed the path of other leaders in making the short-sighted and reactionary decision to slash the UK's aid budget – undermining both the progress made and Britain's standing in the world. 'Women around the world are facing a rollback of their rights and are paying the price for decisions made primarily by men. Meanwhile, aid is being slashed on the global stage – and evidence shows that those who need it most will be hit the hardest. Ignoring the vital role of women and international aid in making the UK and the world safer, healthier, and more sustainable is a self-inflicted setback for the Government. 'We stand at a crossroads: what the Government decides to do now with its aid budget could shape the future for women and entire societies for decades to come.' Comments are closed.
Euronews
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
‘Sex-for-fish': Rural Zambian women forced into coercive deals as drought and aid cuts bite
By Lauren Crosby Medlicott Only eight out of 78 world leaders at the last climate summit were women. How can we fix that? ADVERTISEMENT The climate crisis doesn't affect everyone equally - women and girls bear the brunt of the suffering, largely because they make up the majority of the world's poor. In rural areas, it is women and girls often responsible for securing water, food, and firewood for their families. During drought and floods, women are forced to work harder and walk further. As climate change exacerbates conflicts, inequalities and vulnerabilities, women also face increased risks of gender-based violence. When extreme weather hits, women and children are 14 times more likely to die than men, and an estimated four out of five people displaced by the impacts of climate change are women and girls. 'Put simply: climate change is sexist,' Helen Pankhurst, senior advisor on gender equality at CARE International UK tells Euronews Green. 'It's a feminist issue which threatens the fundamental rights of women and girls.' Helen Pankhurst speaks at a march and rally in London in 2018 to celebrate International Women's Day and 100 years since the first women in the UK gained the right to vote. Guy Bell Despite the labour burden climate changes places on women, they are on the ground 'leading the charge when it comes to grassroots campaigning and inspiring change,' according to Pankhurst. 'They're pulling together their communities and showing leadership in coming up with solutions, demonstrating resilience and delivering hope for a better future,' she says. 'They are also leading in civil society, fighting back against policies which are doing irreparable harm. There is a groundswell of women standing up and saying things must change; they're just not in seats of political power.' Only eight out of 78 world leaders at the last climate summit were women 'It is deeply frustrating that the women and girls whose lives are so disproportionately affected are not being heard on the global stage,' says Pankhurst. 'Climate and gender justice go hand in hand; you can't have one without the other.' Only eight out of 78 world leaders who participated in the most recent COP29 were women. Although delegations at the UN climate conference are consistently increasing in numbers, women's representation has stagnated and even decreased. Bianca Pitt, co-founder of SHE Changes Climate, a campaign to get women equally represented at international climate negotiations and beyond, tells Euronews why it is vital women be included in climate talks and negotiations. 'When women suffer, everyone suffers,' she says. 'It has a knock-on effect.' Bianca Pitt, co-founder of SHE Changes Climate, a campaign to get women equally represented at international climate negotiations. Bianca Bitt If women - ideally from economically marginalised backgrounds - aren't included in decision making about climate change, then women's lived experiences and perspectives aren't being heard. 'If we only have a select group of people making decisions, the decisions will be incomplete - they won't have the desired outcome,' she adds. 'The majority of decisions are made by men for men and women. That creates a blind spot because we can only make decisions based on our own lived experience in the peer group we are in.' Women in power leads to stronger climate policies, studies show Pitt said it isn't 'fair' that women aren't included in the most important discussions being had about our planet, but it isn't just about fairness – it's about what is going to produce the best outcomes. When decision-making processes incorporate the perspectives of men and women, solutions are more comprehensive and robust. ADVERTISEMENT One study on gender and climate change found that female representation in national parliaments across 91 countries correlated with more stringent climate change policies and lower carbon emissions. Another Italian study found that women leaders prioritise proper waste management, decreasing the misuse of water, energy and resources. In the private sector, research shows that companies with a bigger share of women on their boards are more likely to improve energy efficiency, reduce firms' overall environmental impact and invest in renewable energy. Women-led firms make more efforts to curb emissions and have better results for environmental, social and governance indicators. ADVERTISEMENT 'Research shows the economies in which women participate are more resilient – they're stronger, more productive, and have better outcomes for everyone,' Pitt says. It's the same for nations and businesses for whom women lead on climate change, she says. When women are involved in making decisions on climate change, policies are more likely to succeed. Why aren't more women leading on climate change? 'We know that women are leading on climate change at a grassroots level and within civil society; we see it at CARE International through our programmes all over the world,' Pankhurst says. 'Women are leading the climate response in their homes and communities, coming up with innovative and sustainable solutions like leading agriculture cooperatives, encouraging their communities to plant drought-resistant crops, and creating early warning systems that save the lives and livelihoods of women who don't have access to traditional media.' ADVERTISEMENT If the evidence so starkly shows the need for women leading on climate change, then why are women still underrepresented as climate change leaders in politics? 'There's definitely a gender bias,' says Pitt. 'It's real and strong.' Perhaps there is a lurking, unconscious gender bias that distrusts women leaders or thinks they don't display the authority or assertiveness of men, as explored by the BBC when Kamala Harris became the first woman vice president of the United States. And according to Pitt, lack of female representation about climate on the national level is in part due to lack of representation. ADVERTISEMENT 'If you don't have women leading, you don't set the example for younger women to take that career,' she says. 'If you don't see women leading these conferences, young girls won't be inspired - they'll think it is just men in grey suits.' How can more women reach climate leadership positions? Public bodies, businesses, and governments are starting to realise the unconscious biases toward women in the climate change sector, but there isn't time to wait around for a slow, organic change, the experts argue. 'Organic growth [of women leading on climate change] is not delivering the results,' Pitt says. '50 per cent of delegations of climate negotiations have to be women as per the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan.' Pitt also urges that women be 'skilled up' to join negotiations, and be given ample amount of speaking time. ADVERTISEMENT 'If a woman chairs something, the remaining women in the room are more likely to speak up,' she says. By 'shining a light' on the women already leading in this space, younger girls will be inspired to follow - they will see it's possible to lead.' Likewise, Pankhurst - who, yes, is the great-granddaughter of British suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst - wants to see 'more room made at the table for women and girls to speak into this crisis.' 'We need to fund women-led organisations working in this space; supporting them to thrive and make a real difference at a political level locally, nationally and globally,' she says. ADVERTISEMENT And, this International Women's Day (8 March), there's no time to maintain the status quo. 'We don't have time to waste - climate change is here, now. It's not some far off threat,' she adds. 'We don't have the luxury of time.'
Euronews
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
‘Climate change is sexist': We need more women leading the crisis response, experts say
By Lauren Crosby Medlicott Only eight out of 78 world leaders at the last climate summit were women. How can we fix that? ADVERTISEMENT The climate crisis doesn't affect everyone equally - women and girls bear the brunt of the suffering, largely because they make up the majority of the world's poor. In rural areas, it is women and girls often responsible for securing water, food, and firewood for their families. During drought and floods, women are forced to work harder and walk further. As climate change exacerbates conflicts, inequalities and vulnerabilities, women also face increased risks of gender-based violence. When extreme weather hits, women and children are 14 times more likely to die than men, and an estimated four out of five people displaced by the impacts of climate change are women and girls. 'Put simply: climate change is sexist,' Helen Pankhurst, senior advisor on gender equality at CARE International UK tells Euronews Green. 'It's a feminist issue which threatens the fundamental rights of women and girls.' Helen Pankhurst speaks at a march and rally in London in 2018 to celebrate International Women's Day and 100 years since the first women in the UK gained the right to vote. Guy Bell Despite the labour burden climate changes places on women, they are on the ground 'leading the charge when it comes to grassroots campaigning and inspiring change,' according to Pankhurst. 'They're pulling together their communities and showing leadership in coming up with solutions, demonstrating resilience and delivering hope for a better future,' she says. 'They are also leading in civil society, fighting back against policies which are doing irreparable harm. There is a groundswell of women standing up and saying things must change; they're just not in seats of political power.' Only eight out of 78 world leaders at the last climate summit were women 'It is deeply frustrating that the women and girls whose lives are so disproportionately affected are not being heard on the global stage,' says Pankhurst. 'Climate and gender justice go hand in hand; you can't have one without the other.' Only eight out of 78 world leaders who participated in the most recent COP29 were women. Although delegations at the UN climate conference are consistently increasing in numbers, women's representation has stagnated and even decreased. Bianca Pitt, co-founder of SHE Changes Climate, a campaign to get women equally represented at international climate negotiations and beyond, tells Euronews why it is vital women be included in climate talks and negotiations. 'When women suffer, everyone suffers,' she says. 'It has a knock-on effect.' Bianca Pitt, co-founder of SHE Changes Climate, a campaign to get women equally represented at international climate negotiations. Bianca Bitt If women - ideally from economically marginalised backgrounds - aren't included in decision making about climate change, then women's lived experiences and perspectives aren't being heard. 'If we only have a select group of people making decisions, the decisions will be incomplete - they won't have the desired outcome,' she adds. 'The majority of decisions are made by men for men and women. That creates a blind spot because we can only make decisions based on our own lived experience in the peer group we are in.' Women in power leads to stronger climate policies, studies show Pitt said it isn't 'fair' that women aren't included in the most important discussions being had about our planet, but it isn't just about fairness – it's about what is going to produce the best outcomes. When decision-making processes incorporate the perspectives of men and women, solutions are more comprehensive and robust. ADVERTISEMENT One study on gender and climate change found that female representation in national parliaments across 91 countries correlated with more stringent climate change policies and lower carbon emissions. Another Italian study found that women leaders prioritise proper waste management, decreasing the misuse of water, energy and resources. In the private sector, research shows that companies with a bigger share of women on their boards are more likely to improve energy efficiency, reduce firms' overall environmental impact and invest in renewable energy. Women-led firms make more efforts to curb emissions and have better results for environmental, social and governance indicators. ADVERTISEMENT 'Research shows the economies in which women participate are more resilient – they're stronger, more productive, and have better outcomes for everyone,' Pitt says. It's the same for nations and businesses for whom women lead on climate change, she says. When women are involved in making decisions on climate change, policies are more likely to succeed. Why aren't more women leading on climate change? 'We know that women are leading on climate change at a grassroots level and within civil society; we see it at CARE International through our programmes all over the world,' Pankhurst says. 'Women are leading the climate response in their homes and communities, coming up with innovative and sustainable solutions like leading agriculture cooperatives, encouraging their communities to plant drought-resistant crops, and creating early warning systems that save the lives and livelihoods of women who don't have access to traditional media.' ADVERTISEMENT If the evidence so starkly shows the need for women leading on climate change, then why are women still underrepresented as climate change leaders in politics? 'There's definitely a gender bias,' says Pitt. 'It's real and strong.' Perhaps there is a lurking, unconscious gender bias that distrusts women leaders or thinks they don't display the authority or assertiveness of men, as explored by the BBC when Kamala Harris became the first woman vice president of the United States. And according to Pitt, lack of female representation about climate on the national level is in part due to lack of representation. ADVERTISEMENT 'If you don't have women leading, you don't set the example for younger women to take that career,' she says. 'If you don't see women leading these conferences, young girls won't be inspired - they'll think it is just men in grey suits.' How can more women reach climate leadership positions? Public bodies, businesses, and governments are starting to realise the unconscious biases toward women in the climate change sector, but there isn't time to wait around for a slow, organic change, the experts argue. 'Organic growth [of women leading on climate change] is not delivering the results,' Pitt says. '50 per cent of delegations of climate negotiations have to be women as per the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan.' Pitt also urges that women be 'skilled up' to join negotiations, and be given ample amount of speaking time. ADVERTISEMENT 'If a woman chairs something, the remaining women in the room are more likely to speak up,' she says. By 'shining a light' on the women already leading in this space, younger girls will be inspired to follow - they will see it's possible to lead.' Likewise, Pankhurst - who, yes, is the great-granddaughter of British suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst - wants to see 'more room made at the table for women and girls to speak into this crisis.' 'We need to fund women-led organisations working in this space; supporting them to thrive and make a real difference at a political level locally, nationally and globally,' she says. ADVERTISEMENT And, this International Women's Day (8 March), there's no time to maintain the status quo. 'We don't have time to waste - climate change is here, now. It's not some far off threat,' she adds. 'We don't have the luxury of time.'
