Stakeholders call for gender equality when sharing climate change resources

Stakeholders are calling for equity when sharing resources aimed at solving climate change impacts, as Africa Climate Week ends in Nairobi.

This is according to a speech by Yamide Dagnet, the Director of Climate Justice at the Open Society Foundations.

He made the sentiments at an event on gender justice and the just transition on Wednesday, 6 September 2023.
According to Dagnet, the majority of Africans already live in energy-poor situations, with women disproportionately impacted, therefore, gender equality in division of the resources is paramount.

"Such a holistic approach will foster more ownership of the narrative and in reimaging what those transitions mean and how the benefits can be shared equitably."
Additionally, Professor Attiya Waris challenged the current financial architectures, and the types of debt governments enter into.

He says they have negative consequences on the most marginalised.

"Marginalised populations, youth, and women's narratives need to be linked to power, to strengthen movement building, transnational solidarity and inform progressive policies," she said.

Another speaker, Ruth Nyambura warned that we need to be careful that the response to Africa's climate crisis is about more than giving one million women cookstoves, but acknowledges that the climate crisis is a systemic structural crisis.

"The systemic challenges will not resolved by focusing on macro-level solutions but rather. we need to reimagine the role of the state...and reject false and temporary solutions," Nyambura said.

These sentiments come a day after Kenya Power hinted at an introduction of e-cooking methods.

Open Society-Africa hosted a conversation featuring speakers such as Professor Attiya Waris, United Nations Independent Expert on Foreign Debt, Other International Financial Obligations and Human Rights, Nafi Chinery Africa Director of the Natural Resources Governance Institute, Ruth Nyambura, the Senior Advisor on Movement Led Approaches to Gender and Climate Justice in Africa at the Global Fund for women, Dagnet and Open Society-Africa Executive Director, L. Muthoni Wanyeki.