Gender
African Women and Girls Bear the Brunt as $250M Climate Fund Awaits Disbursement
The appeal comes at a critical moment, as $250 million has already been allocated under the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) to assist developing countries in addressing the impacts of climate-related disasters. However, the funds have yet to be disbursed to the intended beneficiaries.
In 2024, severe flooding in the Central African Republic, Chad and Nigeria claimed over 2,500 lives and severely disrupted communities, with women and girls among the most affected. Many were left facing displacement, loss of livelihoods, and heightened vulnerability.
Against this backdrop, climate experts are urging immediate action to release the $250 million fund to developing countries, stressing that swift disbursement is essential to protect vulnerable populations especially women and young girls from the escalating impacts of climate disasters.
According to the Regional Communication and Advocacy Coordinator at Mission Inclusion, Audrey Masitsa, the impacts, risks, and even opportunities linked to climate change are experienced differently by women, men, and young people. She emphasized that women and girls are disproportionately affected because they often carry the primary responsibility for their families’ wellbeing.
Due to climate-induced food insecurity, many women and girls are forced to travel long distances in search of food, water, and firewood. Climate change pressures frequently result in girls dropping out of school and climate disasters also heighten their exposure to gender-based violence, alongside numerous other social and economic challenges.
Masitsa urged journalists to amplify women’s voices in climate reporting, stressing the importance of giving them space to speak directly about how climate change is affecting their lives and communities.
Her remarks were made during a cross-border science café for African journalists organized by the AMSCC Consortium. The forum reflected on the technical intersections of gender, health, and climate change, where experts expressed concern over delays in delivering financial support to developing countries affected by climate disasters. They warned that such delays further endanger the lives of women and girls.
Kenyan youth climate activist Imali Ngusale also voiced dissatisfaction, noting that although $250 million was announced under agreements linked to COP30, many communities in developing countries remain unaware of how to access the funds. This lack of information, she cautioned, risks excluding the very communities the funding is intended to support.
She urged governments to widely publicize the application process for the fund and to simplify access so that intended beneficiaries can easily apply and benefit from it.
Similarly, Teresa Anderson, Global Lead on Climate Justice at ActionAid International, called for meaningful engagement with communities most affected by climate change. She emphasized the importance of listening to marginalized groups to ensure that climate interventions do not unintentionally cause further harm.
Anderson also underscored the need for systemic change, placing social justice at the center of climate action. She stressed that protecting the rights of affected communities and addressing structural inequalities are essential to delivering genuine and transformative climate solutions.
The cross-border science café brought together more than 100 participants from Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and South Africa, reflecting a strong regional commitment to advancing dialogue on gender, health, and climate justice.
