Earth Today | Adaptation Fund gives eye to women’s empowerment in climate decision-making

IN PERU, women’s lives are being transformed by climate projects designed to put them at the heart of decision-making.

This comes as climate change disproportionately impacts women, exacerbating existing problems and creating new challenges.

According to the United Nations, women and girls represent 80 per cent of people displaced by climate change, often leading to extreme poverty and increased vulnerability to violence.

This disparity is driven by women’s greater reliance on natural resources, fewer decision-making powers, and their higher rates of poverty. The ongoing climate crisis exposes these inequalities, making them impossible to ignore.

There are, however, a number of success stories to which to point, including in Peru, where Profonanpe, a leading environmental fund, is empowering women to play a central role in adapting to climate change. They are moving into new community roles and contributing valuable local knowledge to climate adaptation strategies.

The Adaptation Fund finances two of Profonanpe’s projects, one in the Andes and another on the coast. These projects aim to increase adaptive capacity and reduce vulnerability through inclusive approaches, with women playing key roles in community associations and new business ventures in response to climate impacts.

The Adaptation Fund’s social and gender policies focus on empowering women and marginalised groups, providing them with equitable access to resources and decision-making power. Through these policies, women have gained confidence and recognition, with many now having a stronger voice in decisions.

Mikko Ollikainen, head of the Adaptation Fund, emphasised the importance of actively considering women’s adaptation needs to improve project outcomes and ensure no one is left behind.

“We are continuously tracking progress on our gender work. We will continue to increase gender responsiveness so no one is left behind,” he said.