"Women and Climate Change" publication available from CWS
Thursday, April 30, 2009

Even around issues as seemingly gender-neutral as climate change, there is reason to pay attention to the effects on the lives of women and to their role in efforts to respond to those changes.

NEW YORK--Even around issues as seemingly gender-neutral as climate change, there is reason to pay attention to the effects on the lives of women and to their role in efforts to respond to those changes.

Church World Service has added a new resource, "Women and Climate Change," to its series in the broader "Enough for All" campaign.  The publication details the disproportionately heavy toll changes in the environment are taking on women and girls and urges the government to pay attention.

With women and children comprising more than 70 percent of those living below the poverty line, they are most likely to bear the heaviest burdens of climate change.  Yet, as the publication points out, they are all too often left out of the discussion.

"If policymakers and development workers do not take into account gender roles and incorporate women's voices, then their efforts to halt climate change and help communities adapt are likely to exacerbate existing gender inequalities and not be as effective as they need to be," the publication says.

In the same vein, a resolution affirming the commitment of the U. S. Congress to support global efforts by women to prepare for, build resilience for, and adapt to the effects of climate change also serves to remind us of the necessity of including women in crucial discussions about this and other issues.  The resolution was introduced by Congresswomen Barbara Lee (D-CA), Betty McCollum (D-MN) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA).  Read the resolution at  http://www.wedo.org/wp-content/uploads/hconres98.pdf.

Organizations and individuals can find more information about the "Enough for All" campaign and about ways to support or join advocacy efforts aimed at bringing justice and fairness to global discussion over climate at the CWS Speaking out in partnership page.

Media Contact:
Lesley Crosson, 212-870-2676, lcrosson@churchworldservice.org
Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526, jdragin@gis.net

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