Pushing the Boundaries: Gender and Climate Change in the GCC

The United Nations’ Women agency, in an explainer, stated categorically that the global climate crisis is not “gender neutral”, since women and girls experience the greatest impacts of this phenomenon, which in turn amplifies existing gender inequalities. Conversely, the findings by Project Drawdown, a non-profit organisation that researches on climate solutions, reveal that access to family planning services for women, girls, and couples, constitutes one of the top three solutions to combat climate change. With the 28th session of the Conference of Parties (COP 28) taking place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), mainstreaming climate concerns in the Arab region after last year’s edition in Sharm El Sheikh will now have to deliver on multiple fronts. National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) for climate change are expected to incorporate gender equality frameworks. What is the track record of Arab countries in this area, notably in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, where one of them will host COP 28? Will economic diversification and climate-based solutions in these oil-producing states, on top of domestic reforms, help the cause of gender equality? The Middle East Institute will host the prominent Omani climate change activist, Rumaitha Al Busaidi, to address these questions and more.