“While I welcome international attention on the impacts of climate change on women and girls over the past decade, we must also urgently focus on serious problem of violence against them was aggravated by the climate crisis,” she told UN Dong Nhan Quyen Association in Geneva.
States are considering the issue as part of the Council’s annual full-day discussion on women’s rights.
‘Moving from rhetoric’
Ms Bachelet spoke about how the climate crisis is putting women’s lives in jeopardy, whether they are fleeing disaster or speaking out against a global emergency. She emphasizes the critical need for greater action.
“I recognize the need for further discussion, assessment and analysis on these issues. But unless we move from rhetoric to concrete action – immediately – the lives, safety and dignity of millions of women and girls will continue to be in balance,” she said.
Women make up 80% of those devastated by climate change, she said, citing the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Relocating puts them at much greater risk of violence, including sexual violence.
‘Tragic reality’
“While they sleep, wash, bathe or dress in emergency shelters, tents or camps, the risk of sexual violence is a tragic reality of their lives as migrants. immigrants or refugees. In addition, there is an increased risk of trafficking in persons and children, early and forced marriage, which women and girls on the move have to endure,” she said.
The High Commissioner lists examples of where this has happened, such as after Hurricane Katrina, the destructive and deadly hurricane that hit parts of the southern United States in 2005, especially the city of New Orleans.
Rape rates among women who moved to trailer parks were up nearly 54 times the baseline rate in Mississippi that year. Nepal also saw a fourfold increase in human trafficking following the 2015 earthquake.
© UNEP
Berta Caceres, an environmental activist from Honduras, was assassinated in March 2016. She was recognized as a United Nations Earth Champion for her tireless campaign for indigenous rights. .
Environmental activists ‘silent’
Furthermore, as climate change affects agriculture, socioeconomic downturns impact women and girls, making them more vulnerable to threats such as domestic violence, early or forced marriage, trafficking and forced prostitution.
Missing women who identify as LGBTQI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gay or transgender) are also more likely to face a greater risk of violent abuse.
Meanwhile, thousands of women across the globe are also speaking out against climate change. Environmental rights defenders, who are working to protect land, water, nature and communities, do so have great personal risk.
“They are criminalized and silenced. They are threatened and stigmatized. They are at increased risk of gender-based violence. And many people have even been killed,” Ms. Bachelet said.
She reported that in both Mexico and Central America, nearly 1,700 acts of violence were recorded against environmental rights defenders for women between 2016 and 2019.
Confirm link
Ms. Bachelet called for putting the rights of women and girls “at the heart” of climate change policies.
She outlined five steps that countries can take, start with admitting that climate change and violence against women are linked.
Women must also participate fully in decision-making on climate issues, as their insights, life experiences and guidance will lead to better rights protection as well as effective climate action. than.
Governments will also have to strengthen their gender-responsive environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes.
Unpunished
“This will involve ensuring women’s leadership in disaster risk management, providing adequate financial resources and putting in place effective monitoring mechanisms,” she said. “And it would imply ensuring that, in times of disaster, women have access to healthcare, sexual and reproductive health, support services, shelter and security. ”
The UN rights chief called on states to strengthen accountability, because “there is no accountability for perpetrators of gender-based violence, regardless of whether they are spouses, members of families, religious leaders, aid workers or government officials”.
© UNICEF / Sebastian x Gil
Environmental activist and founder of Youth for Climate Argentina.
Respect your obligations
Finally, governments must take urgent steps to respect, protect and fulfill their human rights obligations to women and girls, and in particular to environmental activists. School is women.
“This includes ensuring freedom of speech, freedom of expression, assembly, association and participation in decision-making at all levels, and they must also provide for women redress and accountability for the threats and harm they endure”.
