Lamu women demand involvement in climate change agenda

Lamu women are demanding full involvement on matters pertaining to climate change.

Under the championship of the Lamu Women Alliance (Lawa) organisation, the women complained of grappling with poverty, preventable diseases, impacts of climate shifts on farming and other aspects of their social-economic lives, yet they are always under-represented or side-lined in crucial decision making at the county and national levels.

Addressing journalists at their office at Mtamuini in Lamu Town last week, Lawa Chief Executive Officer Raya Famau, warned that they have recently witnessed women’s rights violations related to industrial investment decisions and practices that pollute the environment.

Such practices contribute to the global climate crisis.

Ms Famau expressed disappointment over the exclusion of women from important development decisions.

She urged leaders and stakeholders to ensure women are involved in the development process to enable them make fair and effective contributions to the climate change agenda.

Wildlife degradation

“It is saddening that development decisions made without consulting women in Lamu and the country have contributed significantly to environmental and wildlife degradation, wildlife extinction and water scarcity,” said Ms Famau.

Khadija Juma a board member, noted that as a result of climate change, temperatures in places like Lamu have always been high with seasonal rains continuing to disappear.

This year, Lamu has received only 83mm of rainfall, which is much below the long-term average (LTA) of 284mm. This translates to 67 per cent below the LTA rainfall performance recorded in the county annually.

Ms Juma also cited flooding and rising sea levels as among the negative impacts of climate change going on around the world, hence the need for everyone, including the Lamu women, to be incorporated on matters climate change.

She called on countries to put an end to any energy investment such as coal-fired power plants, abuse of marine and terrestrial resources and degrading natural water resources, forests, community and national parks, and wildlife reserves.

“These unsustainable investment projects like the intended Lamu coal-fired power plant, make the climate change even worse, and violate rights of women and indigenous people. We need to stop such widespread pollution for our own good,” said Ms Juma.

International levels

Lawa Secretary Khadija Shekuwe, called for the integration of climate and climate control policies into development, insisting that projects that address the realities of life must be identified at the national and international levels.

“Leaders and the international community must direct appropriate funding sources and structures for projects that add a significant impact to the world. Once implemented, such a move will raise hopes that efforts to tackle climate change are top-notch,” said Ms Shekuwe.

The women said the impacts of climate change are most visible on the ground where women live and work, and stressed that any interventions should be guided by their experiences.

“As rural women, we remain the most vulnerable to climate change. We are still capable of creating change and adaptation within our communities. I look forward to seeing women from this region becoming more involved in policymaking through local administrative structures and advocacy forums,” said Ms Shekuwe.

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