The Unequal Burden of Climate Change: How Climate Change Deepens Inequality for Women and Girls in Nyohani Community

Climate change is far from gender-neutral; it is a profound threat that disproportionately affects women and girls worldwide, those who contribute the least to the crisis but face the most harrowing consequences. From devastating droughts and catastrophic floods to escalating food insecurity and forced displacement, the climate emergency is an unrelenting reality for countless women, particularly in the Global South, where many rely on natural resources for their livelihoods and community well-being.

Global Picture: When Climate Injustice Becomes Gender Injustice

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reveals a staggering truth: a staggering 80% of individuals displaced by climate change are women and girls. This alarming statistic sheds light on how deeply entrenched gender inequality escalates vulnerability in the face of environmental shocks. In regions like sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, women often bear the dual burden of managing households while trekking long distances to fetch water and firewood. As weather patterns become increasingly erratic, these arduous journeys not only jeopardise their health but also expose them to the grim realities of gender-based violence.

The World Bank paints a grim picture for the future: by 2030, climate change could push an additional 132 million people into extreme poverty, with women bearing the brunt of this crisis due to systemic barriers that hinder their access to land, resources, and financial support. Remarkably, women farmers are responsible for producing up to 60–80% of the food in developing nations yet shockingly receive less than 10% of agricultural credit and hold merely 15% of land ownership rights globally. 

In terms of health, the World Health Organisation (WHO) sounds the alarm, women and children are 14 times more likely than men to perish in climate-related disasters, a tragic consequence of societal restrictions and a lack of access to early warning systems and mobility.

Ghana’s Reality: Climate Change and the Feminisation of Poverty

In Ghana, the ramifications of climate change are felt in every corner, affecting communities from the erratic rainfall that endangers smallholder farmers to floods that obliterate homes and livelihoods. However, beneath these stark headlines lies a deeper narrative: the feminisation of climate vulnerability. Women in Ghana, especially in rural and northern regions, form the backbone of the agricultural sector. According to the Ghana Statistical Service (2022), over 52% of women in northern Ghana depend on rain-fed agriculture for their income. Yet prolonged droughts and unpredictable rainfall have decimated crop yields, undermining household food security.

The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) warns that climate change could slash Ghana’s GDP by up to 2% annually by 2030, a crippling impact largely felt in the agriculture and natural resources sectors, where women dominate informal labour. The recent flooding of the Volta Basin, exacerbated by the Akosombo Dam spillage, displaced thousands, with women and children making up more than 70% of the impacted population. The loss of property, livelihoods, and access to clean water has plunged many women into dire health and protection risks.

Girls’ Education: The Silent Casualty

The spectre of climate disasters looms large over girls’ education, often pushing them into the shadows. Faced with food shortages or displacement, families are compelled to withdraw girls from school, forcing them into the burdens of household survival. A UNICEF report in 2023 reveals that 4 million girls in West and Central Africa face the terrifying risk of losing access to their education due to climate-induced crises. In northern Ghana, local NGOs document a worrying trend: after severe floods or droughts, school dropout rates among girls can soar by up to 20%, as families prioritise boys’ education or rely on girls for unpaid labour at home.

In the Northern region of Ghana, the Nyohini dam was a vital part of our community's ecosystem, but it has emerged as a white elephant due to climate change and plastic waste mismanagement. The dam used to serve as a primary water source for the local community and several schools in the area. Today, the dam is no longer a reliable source of water and is reportedly in a poor state of disrepair.

During the Riding for A Just Transition Campaign, ActionAid Ghana and its movement groups assembled at the dam side to pitch climate actions for the community. Women and girls are burdened by the poor state of this dam and are left with no option but to trade their school hours for fetching water from very long distances. For women in the Nyohani community, the impact of this dam has extended their unpaid care work in their house, leaving them impoverished since their other source of livelihood, which included farming, has been marred by the climate impact of the dam.

This harsh reality has confirmed the findings from the 3rd AA climate justice report. According to the 3rd Annual Climate Report of ActionAid International, less than 3% (2.8%) of global climate finance supports just transition approaches that prioritise workers, women, and communities.

The Path Forward: Gender-inclusive Climate Action

To combat the gendered impacts of climate change, solutions must not only aim at mitigation and adaptation but must also strive for transformative change. 

- Invest in women-led climate solutions: Empower women farmers and support local cooperatives with access to climate-resilient seeds, innovative irrigation technologies, and green finance to ensure their livelihoods are safeguarded.

- Promote girls’ education and leadership: Ensuring that girls receive quality education and have a seat at the table in climate decision-making processes is one of the most potent strategies for adaptation and resilience.

- Strengthen social protection systems: Implement inclusive safety nets, cash transfer programs, and crop insurance that can help women recover and rebuild their lives following climate shocks.

- Integrate gender justice into climate policies: Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) must recognise and uphold women’s rights as central to achieving a just and equitable transition.

ActionAid’s latest Climate Report calls on world leaders, especially ahead of COP30—to move from promises to real action for a just and equitable transition.

Wealthy nations that have fueled the climate crisis must do their fair share by providing grant-based climate finance, not loans or profit-driven investments. This isn’t charity, it’s climate justice. Global South countries on the frontlines need genuine public funding to rebuild, adapt, and create fair, sustainable futures.

Institutions like the Green Climate Fund must also prioritise people over profit by supporting just transition projects that are co-created with workers, women, and communities most affected by the crisis.

At the national level, governments must phase out fossil fuels and harmful industrial farming, while investing boldly in renewable energy, agroecology, and fair mineral sourcing.

Finally, COP30 must deliver a Belém Action Mechanism (BAM) to coordinate global efforts for a just transition, linking climate action across sectors and breaking down barriers such as unfair debt and trade policies.

As we build a resilient future, we must centre women and girls, who are leading change in their communities. When their voices are heard and their leadership recognised, we move closer to a world that heals, empowers, and sustains all.

Written by Jacqueline P Parditey
PR & Comms Officer at ActionAid Ghana.