Antra Bhatt

Bearing the brunt Women and girls from impoverished and marginalized communities bear the brunt of these devastating climate impacts. A study conducted by UN Women on why climate change matters for women found that women living in arid areas or in areas that experienced frequent and severe droughts were more likely to experience child marriage, adolescent births, and hardship associated with collecting water and cooking with unclean fuels.

This International Women’s Day arrives as millions of women have lost their jobs and livelihoods amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Feminized sectors have been the hardest hit and women have also left jobs to care for children and other family members at higher rates than men. It may come as no surprise that poverty levels also appear to be on the rise due to COVID-19 impacts.

Closing the Gap November 16, 2020 By Ginette Azcona & Antra Bhatt A mother watches her daughter do schoolwork at their home in Sacatepéquez, Guatemala, on September 23, 2020. © Deccio Serrano/NurPhoto/Getty Twenty-five years ago, the Beijing Platform for Action [PDF] marked a historic step for gender equality.