Climate–urban nexus: a study of vulnerable women in urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

The changes in climatic conditions and their associated impacts are contributing to a worsening of existing gender inequalities and a heightening of women’s socioeconomic vulnerabilities in South Africa. Using data collected by research methods inspired by the tradition of participatory appraisals,...

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Autores principales: Hlahla, S., Simatele, M. D., Hill, T., Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: American Meteorological Society 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/120621
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author Hlahla, S.
Simatele, M. D.
Hill, T.
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
author_browse Hill, T.
Hlahla, S.
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Simatele, M. D.
author_facet Hlahla, S.
Simatele, M. D.
Hill, T.
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
author_sort Hlahla, S.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The changes in climatic conditions and their associated impacts are contributing to a worsening of existing gender inequalities and a heightening of women’s socioeconomic vulnerabilities in South Africa. Using data collected by research methods inspired by the tradition of participatory appraisals, we systematically discuss the impacts of climate change on marginalized women and the ways in which they are actively responding to climate challenges and building their adaptive capacity and resilience in the urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We argue that changes in climate have both direct and indirect negative impacts on women’s livelihoods and well-being. Less than one-half (37%) of the women reported implementing locally developed coping mechanisms to minimize the impacts of climate-related events, whereas 63% reported lacking any form of formal safety nets to deploy and reduce the impacts of climate-induced shocks and stresses. The lack of proactive and gender-sensitive local climate change policies and strategies creates socioeconomic and political barriers that limit the meaningful participation of women in issues that affect them and marginalize them in the climate change discourses and decision-making processes, thereby hampering their efforts to adapt and reduce existing vulnerabilities. Thus, we advocate for the creation of an enabling environment to develop and adopt progendered, cost-effective, transformative, and sustainable climate change policies and adaptation strategies that are responsive to the needs of vulnerable groups (women) of people in society. This will serve to build their adaptive capacity and resilience to climate variability and climate change–related risks and hazards.
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publishDate 2022
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spelling CGSpace1206212025-02-19T13:42:33Z Climate–urban nexus: a study of vulnerable women in urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa Hlahla, S. Simatele, M. D. Hill, T. Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe climate variability urban areas nexus approaches vulnerability women climate change adaptation policies coping strategies resilience gender mainstreaming gender equality decision making marginalization communities livelihoods households socioeconomic aspects The changes in climatic conditions and their associated impacts are contributing to a worsening of existing gender inequalities and a heightening of women’s socioeconomic vulnerabilities in South Africa. Using data collected by research methods inspired by the tradition of participatory appraisals, we systematically discuss the impacts of climate change on marginalized women and the ways in which they are actively responding to climate challenges and building their adaptive capacity and resilience in the urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We argue that changes in climate have both direct and indirect negative impacts on women’s livelihoods and well-being. Less than one-half (37%) of the women reported implementing locally developed coping mechanisms to minimize the impacts of climate-related events, whereas 63% reported lacking any form of formal safety nets to deploy and reduce the impacts of climate-induced shocks and stresses. The lack of proactive and gender-sensitive local climate change policies and strategies creates socioeconomic and political barriers that limit the meaningful participation of women in issues that affect them and marginalize them in the climate change discourses and decision-making processes, thereby hampering their efforts to adapt and reduce existing vulnerabilities. Thus, we advocate for the creation of an enabling environment to develop and adopt progendered, cost-effective, transformative, and sustainable climate change policies and adaptation strategies that are responsive to the needs of vulnerable groups (women) of people in society. This will serve to build their adaptive capacity and resilience to climate variability and climate change–related risks and hazards. 2022-07 2022-08-23T12:52:55Z 2022-08-23T12:52:55Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/120621 en Open Access American Meteorological Society Hlahla, S.; Simatele, M. D.; Hill, T.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. Climate–urban nexus: a study of vulnerable women in urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Weather, Climate, and Society, 14(3):933-948. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/WCAS-D-20-0180.1]
spellingShingle climate variability
urban areas
nexus approaches
vulnerability
women
climate change adaptation
policies
coping strategies
resilience
gender mainstreaming
gender equality
decision making
marginalization
communities
livelihoods
households
socioeconomic aspects
Hlahla, S.
Simatele, M. D.
Hill, T.
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Climate–urban nexus: a study of vulnerable women in urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
title Climate–urban nexus: a study of vulnerable women in urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
title_full Climate–urban nexus: a study of vulnerable women in urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
title_fullStr Climate–urban nexus: a study of vulnerable women in urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Climate–urban nexus: a study of vulnerable women in urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
title_short Climate–urban nexus: a study of vulnerable women in urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
title_sort climate urban nexus a study of vulnerable women in urban areas of kwazulu natal province south africa
topic climate variability
urban areas
nexus approaches
vulnerability
women
climate change adaptation
policies
coping strategies
resilience
gender mainstreaming
gender equality
decision making
marginalization
communities
livelihoods
households
socioeconomic aspects
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/120621
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