In a new report released by UN Women, it was revealed that women are more susceptible to the effects of climate change in China than their male counterparts.
Lower incomes and relatively lesser access to opportunities in land resources, loans, and non-farm employment present obstacles that make it harder for Chinese women to adapt to the negative effects of climate change, the report showed according to an article by womenofchina.cn.
The report indicated that about 72 percent of Chinese women have never taken part in any relevant skills training, while 46 percent of the men surveyed have enrolled in such programs.
Men and women are on the same boat, however, when it comes to making contingency plans in preparation for emergency disasters. Only 25 percent of men and 20 percent of women have indicated a good grasp of the subject matter, the report revealed.
Chinese women are presented with limited opportunities to make decisions when it comes to disaster prevention, climate change, and environmental protection.
"I stand here today because I believe that sustainable development means not leaving anyone behind," said Hai Qing, UN Women's Goodwill Ambassador, during the launch of the report.
"Chinese women are full of potential. It will be a great mistake if women are not allowed to have an equal voice in dealing with climate change and disaster prevention," Hai added, according to womenofchina.cn.
Experts like Julie Broussard, UN Women Country Programme Manager, believer that the report will help China create and implement inclusive policies to address poverty alleviation and reaffirm China's commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
According to Broussard, the empowerment of rural Chinese women can greatly help improve China's work in poverty alleviation.
Aside from findings, the UN Women report also came with 15 policy suggestions to empower Chinese women in decision-making in climate change and disaster prevention. The proposed policies include training in gender analysis and fostering cooperation among relevant organizations.