Toward Climate Change Adaptation and Gender Equity

Climate change impacts women more than men, particularly in developing nations, by exacerbating inequalities through a variety of social, economic, cultural, and environmental barriers. The Cancun Agreement, 2010, and the Lima Work Programme, 2014, stress the importance of the empowerment of women to ensure their meaningful participation in, and contribution to, climate decision-making and actions. Bangladesh, despite being a developing country, has recognized the importance of gender equity as one of its goals for Vision 2021. Its constitution has safeguarded gender-focused environmental rights without discrimination. The Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995, and the Environment Court Act, 2010, are applied and practiced routinely in the environment courts. Due to some drawback provisions such as “national interest” and “good faith,” these laws are not fully enforceable in the context of climate change adaptation and gender equity. However, both acts create scope for filling the gap between climate justice and the present legal system in Bangladesh with their unique features.