GGCA Gender and Climate Change Training Manual - Women's ...

Box 4 Women’s special condition
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Women’s special condition consists of social, economic and cultural factors and
mechanisms that maintain women in a situation of disadvantage and subordination with
regard to men. Such subordination is expressed in varying manners depending on the
historical and cultural context. Women’s condition as a conceptual and operational tool
for analysis entails consideration of material status, or the level to which their “practical
needs” are met, such as access to water, electricity, housing, health care, employment
and income-generating services. This concept connects women’s material wellbeing
to the specific circumstances surrounding her social environment and the roles and
responsibilities that society accords to women.
Source: USAID, 2007.
Action may be required of governments to compensate for inherent
inequities arising from women’s special condition. In relation to climate change
governance, this may include establishment of special measures to facilitate
women’s access to information, technologies, and participation in the definition
of financing mechanism procedures, among others.
Eradicating discriminatory practices and developing meaningful
opportunities for women’s participation at all levels of decision making will
take time and effort. It will require commitment on the part of decision makers
and women themselves. Securing this commitment will require the adoption
of policy and legislative measures to ensure that women’s participation and
consultations with women provide them with an opportunity to affect the
outcome of decision-making processes. Developing such processes and
ensuring consistency and continuity in regard to gender equality and equity,
requires mainstreaming gender in policy making at all levels.
Further resources
Alfaro, C. (1999). Unveiling Gender: Basic Conceptual Elements for Understanding
Equity. Toward Equity series. Costa Rica: IUCN-Arias Foundation.
Kabeer, N. (2003). Gender Mainstreaming in Poverty Eradication and the
Millennium Development Goals: A handbook for policy-makers and other
stakeholders. UK: Commonwealth Secretariat, International Development
Research Centre, Canadian International Development Agency.
Kanji, N. (2003). Mind the Gap: Mainstreaming Gender and Participation
Development. Institutionalising Participation series. UK: IIED and IDS.