Gender Inclusion in Climate Crisis: Policies and Institutional Approaches in Asia
摘要
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), climate change and extreme weather will hit Asia in an extremely hard way. The warming trend of Asia has nearly doubled since the 1961–1990 period and this warming is faster than the global average. Therefore, along with international organizations, Asian nations and Governments are initiating different policies, priorities, and action planning. Further, to combat climate crisis multi-sectoral approaches are adopted and implemented by different institutions and communities as well. Nonetheless, these policies and approaches do not always have an adequate and appropriate focus on the poor and marginalized segments of a community. It is claimed that climate change impacts men and women differently, largely due to their gender-differentiated relative powers, roles, and responsibilities at the household and community levels. Due to lack of effective and efficient gender inclusion in climate crisis management policies and initiatives, women still have less economic, political, and legal clout and are hence less able to cope with and are more exposed to the adverse effects of the changing climate. Therefore, it is pivotal to understand how and to what extent gender associated issues are dealt with and addressed in climate crisis policies, planning, and institutional approaches in different countries in Asia. This paper scrutinizes major national climate policies in Asian countries with gender-inclusive approaches, inclusion levels, and associated sectors. Success, challenges, and Gap in the inclusion of gender specific policies and further key recommendations to overcome the challenges are also highlighted in this paper.