PeiYao Chen
President and CEO, Global Fund for Women
Discover how the climate crisis disproportionately affects women and marginalised communities. Support feminist-led climate solutions for a resilient future.
The climate crisis is putting us all at risk. From heatwaves to flooding, droughts and storms, we see climate extremes increasing in every region across the globe. However, we are not all affected equally.
Why feminist climate action is necessary
Globally, women and girls bear the brunt of the climate emergency. Those who experience overlapping oppressions — including Indigenous women, women with disabilities and LGBTQI+ people — fare even worse.
When crops fail, women are often the last to eat. When floods, hurricanes and cyclones strike, women are more likely to die; in some circumstances, 14 times more likely. If they survive, displacement brings heightened risks of sexual violence.
Despite mounting urgency, efforts to fight the climate crisis receive less than 2% of global philanthropic giving. Funding that reflects the gendered impact of climate disasters is almost non-existent (less than 0.2%). Global Fund for Women is working to change that by placing money directly in the hands of feminist leaders working for a climate-resilient future for all.
As some of those hit hardest, women hold the key to unlocking just and equitable climate solutions.
Women pivotal in climate resilience
As some of those hit hardest, women hold the key to unlocking just and equitable climate solutions. Women are often the first on the frontlines when disaster strikes, springing into action as first responders, unpaid caregivers and community organisers. Long before a hurricane or flood hits, they are building resilient communities that can weather the storm.
Today, in the Pacific Islands, a feminist movement for climate justice is working to elevate women’s voices in disaster response and preparedness. Why is this important? Women living on remote islands — whose communication systems often fail in a disaster — bring critical perspectives to the creation of early warning systems that work for the hardest to reach. The same movement is fighting for women with disabilities — who may need assistance or equipment to safely leave their homes — to be involved in evacuation planning, so no one is left behind.
Funding feminist climate solutions
Investments in feminist climate solutions can’t wait. Fortunately, the infrastructure to fund these actors exists. Feminist funds around the world are channelling resources to movements for robust and responsive climate action. As we brace for a rapidly changing climate landscape, locally led solutions will be critical to ensuring we all can survive and thrive.