No. 113/2021

WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO WOMEN WHEN IT COMES TO FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE, MS MOLEFE? Extreme aridity and drought; and when it does rain, it rains so heavi­ ly that everywhere is flooded – this is the reality of climate change in Botswana. There, women in particular are faced with this in their everyday lives, says environmental researcher and human geogra- pher Chandapiwa Molefe. In Botswana, it is usually women who are small farmers cultivat- ing crops. Although climate change directly threatens their existence, policies have barely focussed on women and their point of view so far. Molefe wants to change all that. “Women are the backbone of the nation,” she says and quotes the African proverb, “Mosadi ke thari ya Sechaba.” She is working on recommendations for action that are designed to serve as practical guidelines for political decision-mak- ers in Botswana. The aim is to integrate gender perspectives into the country’s climate adaptation strategies. In this way, she wants to ensure that women have access to technologies, knowledge and micro- financing. Molefe suggests, for example, a gender-sensitive distribution of positions in government ministries and that women, especially in rural areas, should be involved in formulating climate policies. “I want my work to strengthen women in Botswana because they are crucial if we are going to halt the impacts of climate change,” she emphasises. She now intends to draw up suggestions for concrete measures, but first she wants to analyse the situation on the spot and conduct interviews with stakeholders in Botswana. Text ESTHER SAMBALE CHANDAPIWA MOLEFE, an International Climate Protection Fellow, is being hosted in Berlin by the international organisation PlanAdapt. Photo: Humboldt Foundation/ Julian Maehrlein BRIEF ENQUIRIES 10 HUMBOLDT KOSMOS 113/2021