Key Interventions Needed to Enhance African Women’s Access to Climate Justice
A large group of young protesters in Africa demonstrating for climate action and gender equality, holding colorful signs and banners.
Across domestic courts in Africa, climate cases have been decided in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, with some cases pending in Uganda. However, climate litigation is still fairly new. Climate lawsuits are an important way to access justice. This is particularly true for African women because, as research has shown, climate change affects women more than men in key areas including farming, health, water, access to electricity, migration and conflict. Researchers have studied how the law can be applied to cases of climate change, inclusive development, water governance and sustainability. In a recent paper on climate litigation in Nigeria and South Africa, they argue that the structure of legal institutions must be redesigned so that courts are more receptive to women’s climate change claims. Firstly, data needs to be collected on women’s and girl’s experiences of climate change impact. Secondly, there needs to be legal aid for women to take up climate lawsuits. And thirdly, gender sensitive climate laws need to be passed and then effectively enforced.
SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION