Two studies on the gender dimensions of climate change were conducted from July to August 2009 in
the North-Central parts and South-Eastern of Nigeria.
The North-Central study assessed the impact of climate change on the Zumba and Augie communities in
Niger and Kebbi states respectively. It equally tackles the issue from a gender perspective which
highlights the challenges and adaptation strategies of the selected communities.
From this study, it was observed that communities had noticed changes in climate but failed to identify
their causes. For example, despite observing the increase in temperature and shortening of the rainy
season over the past four decades, Zumba women attributed the degradation of their environment
primarily to the construction of the Shiroro dam and the resulting massive deforestation. Less
scientifically, the Augie women believed that the flood waters from Bakolori and Goronyo dams which
destroy their farms and affect the health of their people were calamities inflicted by God.
Women accepted that they had contributed to deforestation in their search of fire wood which led to
the disappearance of many plant and animal species. Although these resilient communities have put
various adaptation measures in place, they were not primarily targeted at reducing the impact of
climate change. The Augie community is already practicing a number of coping strategies and requesting
for assistance to strengthen them. Specifically, the stakeholders of the community requested for
funding, awareness campaigns and capacity building. In Zumba, awareness campaigns would also need
to address traditional beliefs.
The South-Eastern study focused on two communities; Enugwu Nanka in Anambra State and Akama
Amankwo Ngwo in Enugu State. The study revealed that impacts of climate change observed in SouthEastern
Nigeria are: the destruction of shelter (both human and animal), arable farmlands, access roads
and economic trees by landslides and tornadoes. Climate change is also responsible for excessive heat,
heightened insect activity and the drying up of streams.
Though awareness about climate change is generally low, women were found to be more
knowledgeable than their male counterparts of the same age brackets because they tend to live off the
exploitation of the land. Women only earn between N3, 394 ($20) and N5, 918.6 ($40) per month on
average, for the sampled communities in Anambra and Enugu States respectively. Meanwhile, their
roles include giving birth, taking care of their children and husbands, educating their children, growing
food and cooking, washing, cleaning and providing water for their families. Indeed, low income, coupled
with prevalent gender inequalities, exacerbates women’s vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.
The social impacts of climate change such as male migration also increase the workload of the women in
both localities, they expose them to physical and sexual abuse as they scramble for depleting
commodities and encourage early marriages.
While ingenious adaptive and mitigation strategies developed by women were encountered in sample
states, better policy making to combat climate change is desperately needed as the study showed that
Nigeria is clearly unprepared for the environmental disasters which accompany climate change. If policy
makers have ignored the way climate change affects men and women differently, it is mostly due to
inadequate communication and collaboration between the affected communities and their
governments.