Cairo: A “Feminists for Climate” initiative is being launched to educate Egyptians about the effects of climate change on women in general and Egyptian women in particular.
The initiative’s founder, Marihan Fouad, said: “Women are the weakest and most vulnerable group, and the issue of climate change and its consequences amplifies their vulnerability and problems. The initiative aims to raise awareness about it.”
Fouad, a pharmacy graduate, said: “Choosing the idea of climate change to raise awareness about it and its impact on women has a personal dimension. I am from the Delta region (north of Cairo), and most of the women here The first work in agriculture, either on land owned by their families or even by working for others, which forces them to bear the consequences of climate change the most.
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They are economically affected, as women in many societies depend on natural resources for food and shelter for themselves and their children.
Studies show that the delta will be one of the most affected areas in the future, “and its effects have recently been visible on some crops,” she said.
“It is true that all humans will be affected, but not all in the same way, as it varies from person to person and from one social type to another, so women are the group that bears most of its consequences.”
Samira Rashwan, an official at the National Council for Women, told Arab News: “The kingdom is aware that women are most affected by environmental issues and climate change, and the resulting emissions leading to natural disasters, and There are many reasons for this.
“They often do not have easy access to all the resources that would enhance their ability to cope with climate change crises. Rather, there are many barriers, including a lack of technology and specific education, that prevent women from easily understanding the dimensions of the crisis. Apart from the fact that the empowerment of women has not yet been expected and there is a high illiteracy rate not only regional but also global.
Rashwan said the effects of climate change on the female population include an increase in violence against women, an increase in early marriage and a decrease in women’s empowerment.
“They are affected economically, as women in many societies depend on natural resources to secure food and shelter for themselves and their children. Climate change affects these resources and leads to their depletion, Be it agricultural land, rivers or sea coast.
“The most significant impact from my perspective is on women’s health, especially reproductive health, which is in general vulnerable,” Rashwan said.
Other efforts focusing on the climate’s impact on Egyptian women include an online campaign launched by Jihad, which told Arab News it seeks to “stop the use of any device or vehicle that increases carbon dioxide levels”. contributes to an increase in, and to bury, “materials made of plastics because they are non-biodegradable.
Jihad said: “I work to distribute paper bags for free to people around me and some citizens to draw their attention to the importance of climate change, while inviting them to read about it, and I I hope I will be successful in this.”