In the absence of appropriate social policies, the green economy may exacerbate existing gender inequities to the detriment of overall sustainability.
In the developing world, women are often the primary agricultural producers. As farmers, entrepreneurs, producers, consumers and household managers, women are key for implementing low-carbon strategies – and thus important agents of change. Structural gender inequality needs to be addressed to assure the well-being of women, the successful transition to a green economy and the achievement of sustainable development.
Market-based approaches that emphasize economic growth have tended to exploit and marginalize women in both developed and developing countries in their roles as workers, consumers and citizens. For green growth strategies to succeed, equity issues must be fully addressed.The green economy offers a possibility for a more equitable sharing of revenue between men and women, capital and labour, and rich and poor countries. But governments must act to close gender gaps that threaten to make the green economy as inequitable as its forerunners
Yet, to achieve the dual track of tackling climate change through gender action, we must recognise women as economic, social and political actors who play a crucial role in adopting new technologies, taking and supporting the tough decisions needed to spur action at scale, and seizing the opportunities that a new, greener economy can bring.
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