Government support for climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts should include assistance to millions of women in building resilience to the floods and other natural disasters that occur more frequently each year.
“There have been floods in most parts of the country and we need to channel all our programmes to areas affected by floods and other disasters. We need to encourage women to participate in disaster risk reduction,” Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said.
In order to promote women’s participation in disaster risk reduction, Nkoana-Mashabane said government must provide training sessions for women and communities in vulnerable localities, to equip them with skills to assess how disaster fallouts affect livelihoods differently.
“Ultimately, the training must equip women and promote their participation in decision-making processes and initiatives that respond to climate change,” the Minister said.
Nkoana-Mashabane was speaking during a provincial consultation for the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women’s 66th Session, which will take place from 14 to 25 March 2022.
During the 65th Session of the Commission in 2021, South Africa was elected as the Chair of the CSW bureau for the 66th and 67th sessions. The country will chair the commission for 2022 and 2023.
Nkoana-Mashabane emphasised that CSW is a UN organ that must be used to maximise the advancement of gender equality and empowerment of women.
“Both the priority and review themes for this year’s 66th Commission focus on: Advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the context of Climate Change as well as Economic Empowerment of Women.
“Both themes hold great relevance as the world advances discussions on the post-COVID-19 recovery process. At the foundations of the recovery process must be the empowerment of the vulnerable sectors,” the Minister said.
In preparation for South Africa’s participation in the 66th Session, the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities has been coordinating together with the departments of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, as well as Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development on the priority topic.
The department, she said, has concluded two of the three ongoing consultations planned at a national level to consolidate a national position.
The department has also commenced the process of hosting provincial consultations across all nine provinces, to ensure that the diverse voices of the women of South Africa are being heard.
“We seek to carry to New York, a South African position that reflects the collective strength of women in driving gender equality through key reforms, as well as a position that is critical to the barriers that hinder the full advancement of women and girls’ empowerment in the time of climate change.” – SAnews.gov.za
