reports

1 )the Global Gender Gap Index of 2018 ranks Pakistan at 148 out of 149, which is alarming
and equally shameful. Gender inequality not only denies women of their voices and devalues
their work but also makes their position lower to men at all levels- from a household, national to
global. This disparity, along with degrading the status of women affects their ability to adapt to
the impacts of climate change.

2)A new report by UN Women reveals that the Covid-19 crisis has exacerbated gender
inequality and gender discrimination around the world.

“These gender inequalities will have profound impact on the lives of women and girls in the
region, and because of these inequalities, the coronavirus will impact women and girls
disproportionately to men and boys, and also affect women’s resilience in mitigating the effects
of the outbreak,”

most women, particularly those in the rural parts of Pakistan, have lower socioeconomic status.
They lack education, economic resources, information, and freedom of choices. They are mainly
involved in primary sectors such as livestock and agriculture and spend most of their days
working for free for their household income or on minimum wages, often far below the national
average. They also work as unpaid caregivers and providers of food and fuel. According to
research, women carry out 2.5 times the amount of unpaid care work that men do, which
globally accounts for USD$10 trillion a year. Women, due to their role in the society and
dependence of natural resources are therefore far more exposed to the impacts of climate
change. According to UNDP, women are 14 times more likely to die during a natural disaster.
Women are also recognized as being poorer than men due to several socioeconomic, political,
and cultural factors, and as a result, 70 percent of the world poor are women. Lack of economic
empowerment prevents Pakistan women from adapting to the impacts of climate change,
making climate resilience almost an impossible option for them

They have indigenous knowledge due to their daily exposure with natural resources and have a
better understanding of their surroundings and what practical solutions are needed for
adapting to the changing environment. Many examples exist in disaster-prone areas particularly
in rural Punjab and Sindh, where women adapt to climate conditions by building small walls to
protect their farms and houses from rising sea levels and floods, and water storage tanks on the
rooftops to collect water from rain for drought seasons. UNDP also declares gender-responsive
adaptation as a better approach as it allows sustainability of all the efforts and adaptation
measures.

In the short run, the focus needs to be given towards skills enhancements of women, which
would reduce their dependence from natural resources, allowing them to develop the profitable
ability and improving their resilience.
Government of Pakistan has been making consolidated efforts towards gender inclusion,
particularly in the national policies. Gender has been mainstreamed at the policy level in
Pakistan; National Climate Change Policy of 2012 and Climate Change Act of 2017 are
addressing the issue of gender and climate change.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf seems to be on a promising track and recognizes the role of women
as an integral part in fighting climate change and appointment of Ms. Zartaj Gul as the Federal
Minister of Ministry of Climate Change is a clear indication of gender inclusion at the decision-
making level. 

Post corona
 Recent weeks have seen an alarming global surge in domestic violence;
the largest support organisation in the UK reported a 700% increase in
calls.

 The ILO estimates that nearly 200 million jobs will be lost in the
next three months alone — many in these sectors

Women in insecure jobs urgently need basic social protections, from

health insurance to paid sick leave, childcare, income protection, and
unemployment benefits. Looking ahead, measures to stimulate the
economy, like cash transfers, credits, loans, and bailouts, must be
targeted at women — whether working full-time in the formal
economy, part-time in the informal economy, or as business owners.