Accra: The Gender and Climate Change Vulnerability Hotspot Maps have been launched with a call on policymakers to use them to support their decisions in targeting resources to support women in vulnerable areas. The maps identify geographic areas where women are disproportionately impacted by climate change due to a combination of climate hazards, exposure, and existing gender inequalities.
According to Ghana News Agency, the maps were developed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) with support from the Delegation of the European Union to Ghana and AGNES. They identified specific districts where women face the greatest risks across agriculture, water, and energy sectors. The maps combined data on climate exposure, sectoral sensitivity, and adaptive capacity to pinpoint 'hotspots' districts where women are most vulnerable.
For instance, in agriculture, areas like Upper West and Bono East show high exposure to drought and limited access to irrigation for women farmers. In the water sector, districts in the Northern and Savannah regions exhibit high sensitivity due to reliance on natural sources and low adaptive capacity. In energy, regions such as Oti and Northeast highlight the gendered burdens stemming from biomass dependence and limited access to clean energy.
Dr. Charity Osei-Amponsah, Deputy Country Representative at IWMI, who presented the map, emphasized its aim to capture inequalities or vulnerabilities often overlooked in development interventions. She explained that the map considers hazards, exposure, and existing gender inequalities that limit women's ability to adapt to climate challenges.
Dr. Osei-Amponsah noted that the maps would aid decision-makers in understanding specific contexts and designing interventions to effectively address vulnerabilities by enhancing adaptive capacity. The map provides critical insights into the gender-specific impacts of climate change exposure, including increasing temperatures and rainfall variability.
Afua Ansre, Senior Gender Specialist at UN Women, who launched the map, highlighted its utility for policymakers, planners, development partners, and local offices to identify areas prone to climate risks and gender disparities. She emphasized that the tools offer sex-disaggregated data at the district level, mapping the intersection of climate exposure, sectorial sensitivity, and adaptive capacity.
Paulina Rozycka, Head of the Infrastructure and Sustainable Development Section at the European Union Delegation to Ghana, affirmed the initiative's significance in addressing the critical intersection of climate change and gender inequality in Ghana. She expressed the European Union's commitment to utilizing the maps to guide targeted climate adaptation strategies and unlock climate finance for gender-transformative resilience interventions.
Dr. Olufunke Cofie, Africa Director for Research Impact at IWMI, reiterated the Institute's focus on generating knowledge to inform decisions leading to tangible outcomes. She noted the potential for scaling up the maps beyond Ghana and applying them in various projects and initiatives. Dr. Cofie encouraged stakeholders to provide feedback to ensure the maps meet their needs.
