The climate crisis affects everyone, but not everyone is affected equally. Those most affected by climate change, those less able to adapt to its effects, are those who are already vulnerable.
Intersectionality and family violence
Intersectionality is used to refer to the ways in which different aspects of a person’s identity can expose them to overlapping forms of discrimination and marginalisation. Aspects of a person’s identity could include (but are not limited to) gender, ability, language, nationality and geographical location. When these characteristics combine, the risk of family violence increases, accessing support becomes more difficult due to systemic barriers, and the likelihood of social isolation grows.
For example Femili PNG works with women who face intersecting challenges, such as:
- Living in a country that is reportedly one of the most dangerous places to be a woman or girl
- Navigating a society with over 800 different languages and more than 600 different tribes
- Living in isolated communities with very limited access to resources
- Relying on an intimate partner financially, which makes it difficult to leave the family home
- Being a survivor of intergenerational trauma and violence, where their parents and grandparents were also survivors of violence
The Intersection of Gender and Climate Change
The climate crisis is not “gender neutral”. Women and girls experience the greatest impacts of climate change because it amplifies existing gender inequalities while also posing unique threats to their livelihoods, health, and safety. The United Nations Foundation have identified five ways in which gender inequality and climate change intersect:
- Women face barriers to leaving areas prone to climate change and natural disaster
- Women face disproportionality high health risks from the effects of climate change
- Gender-specific threats are used to silence female environmental leaders
- Women are excluded from decision-making spaces and climate change negotiations
- Female-led groups do not receive sufficient climate funding
Gender and Climate Change: Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea’s unique geography and climate makes it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. As climate change leads to an increase in the number and severity of extreme weather events, the country is particularly at risk.
Papua New Guinea’s agriculture-based economy is highly vulnerable to climate change, and women are disproportionately affected. Women’s labour participation is concentrated in rural work, mainly in subsistence agriculture.
Subsistence agriculture is similar to a home garden vege-patch, where you produce food only for your household’s consumption. This is unpaid labour. More than 50 percent of the female labour force in Papua New Guinea participates in unpaid agricultural work. There is often a lack of opportunity for women to engage in more lucrative formal production, leading to an increased vulnerability to climate crises. Not only is the ability to earn a living affected in the event of a climate shock, but so is the ability for women to provide their families with healthy and nutritious meals – increasing pressures on households.
Climate change can intensify underlying challenges like resource scarcity, poverty, gender inequality, exclusion and population growth. These conditions can contribute to fiercer competition for dwindling natural resources, land disputes and internal displacement, all fuelling the potential for violent conflicts. In Papua New Guinea, women and girls are particularly vulnerable to family and sexual violence (FSV), and due to the changing landscape of violence, intercommunal conflicts which were once fought primarily between men now increasingly target women and children. More and two-thirds of women in Papua New Guinea have experienced family violence.
All forms of gender-based violence spike during disaster and conflict, putting women and girls who were already vulnerable in further danger. The caregiving responsibility many women have for their children make it difficult for them to migrate during periods of conflict or environmental stress. Yet, 80 percent of those displaced by climate change are women, further increasing their risk of exposure to violence. Research indicates that women and girls are up to 14 times more likely to die than men during a disaster. In 2021 alone, 30,000 people in PNG were displaced due to intercommunal violence, and the prevalence of other existing forms of violence creates a volatile environment that may exacerbate the impacts of climate-induced violence.
This is where Femili PNG’s work becomes critical. By providing essential support services to survivors of family and sexual violence, Femili PNG addresses the compounded risks women face in times of conflict and environmental stress.
Their efforts are crucial in ensuring that women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by climate change and violence, have access to the resources and support they need to escape danger and rebuild their lives.
FemiliPNG Australia proudly supports this vital work by providing funding and technical assistance to ensure these services remain accessible. As climate change intensifies existing vulnerabilities to violence, our work is helping to safeguard the rights and wellbeing of women across PNG.
Read more about Femili PNG and FemiliPNG Australia here.