This oral statement was submitted to the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC55) Measures for minimizing the adverse impact of climate change on the full realization of the right to food. Watch the video statement here.

Distinguished delegates and High Commissioner, I am Menka Goundan of the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW).

We welcome the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ identification of necessary measures for minimizing the adverse impact of climate change on the full realization of the right to food, especially recognising that the interlinkages of “food insecurity and climate change underscores the interdependence of the right to food and the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.”

Climate change disproportionately affects women and girls in all their diversities. As the climate crisis worsens, their health and well-being become more vulnerable to infections and diseases. These unequal effects stem from gender disparities, which are heightened during climate-related disasters. Gender-specific barriers lead to higher rates of mortality and loss of livelihoods for women during disasters, along with longer recovery times. Amidst the climate crisis, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) suffer further due to deprioritization during humanitarian crises, despite their intrinsic linkage to climate impacts.

We welcome the High Commissioner’s statement and further call on States to enact the following recommendations:

• Ensure the agenda on food sovereignty is framed using women’s practical and strategic gender needs, with the full realization of women’s human rights, including their access to economic resources, adequate nutrition information and appropriate sexual and reproductive health and rights promoted and guaranteed.
• Ensure the inclusion of women in food production, processing, and distribution, as well as represented in all levels of decision-making.
• Promote climate-resilient farming practices, and provide women with training and resources for sustainable agriculture. Additionally, improve food security and nutrition for women and girls in affected areas by supporting local production, diversification, and preservation.