By: Krithika

Empowering women as ambassadors for climate change

An overview of Sri Lankan Scenario focusing finance for development

December, 2015

By: Kirithika Arudjothy

(a) Kirithika Thushyantha

By: Krithika

ObjectivesThis artifact intends to enhance the awareness on

the “role of women in climate change adaptation” and the “need for financing” on the above context

Compile the concepts of Development finance with the experience gained in the gender related aspects of Sri Lanka

By: Krithika

Introduction Sri Lanka is currently on its overhaul phase towards

development after a long lasting political unrest

The poverty head count of Sri Lanka has shown a decreasing pattern after the official ending of civil war and remains as 6.7 (2014) meanwhile the Official Poverty line is LKR 1423

Sri Lanka posses a likelihood of achieving the SDGs if the public sector financing is imposed in to essential domestic affairs

By: Krithika

Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030)

The components of SDGs focused in the present case are as follows Women (#5)- Achieve gender equality and empower all

women and girls Climate (#13)-Take urgent action to combat climate

change and its impacts Sustainability (#17)-Strengthen the means of

implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Gender perspectiveWomen in Sri Lanka has been vulnerable to

unemployment and being the low cost workers in the society

The participation rate of women (35%) in Sri Lankan labour force is being stumpy when comparing to that of men (75%): Census-2014

Being the trivial constituents of the labour force and derives them to place an increased access to natural resources; women in Sri Lanka has a higher potential to involve in Climate change adaptation

By: Krithika

By: Krithika

Women and climate change Mitigation of climate change involves actions that

are designed to limit the amount of long term climate change

Due to the increased accessibility to natural resources and involvement in Agriculture; women face become the key stakeholders in climate change

By increasing the involvement of women in climate change mitigation and adaptation practices, an amplified output can be achieved

By: Krithika

Problem IdentificationAccording the information from the funding

sources, women employed in non-agricultural sectors has remained stumpy for the last four years, its only around 30% of the population employed (aidflows.org)

The above becomes an evident that majority of the women are employed in Agriculture related activities where the detractive influence towards climate change is high

In the meantime, women as key stakeholders can act as the ambassadors for climate change adapting remedial actions to minimize its impacts

By: Krithika

Finance for DevelopmentSri Lanka being a beneficiary of Official

Development Assistance as a lower middle income country in the South Asian Region

During the past years, strategic frameworks for climate change and gender related issues has been mainstreamed vastly under public sector development rather than in private sector, considering the return on investment

However, certain private organizations has also undertaken various strategies to attend such issues under Community Social Responsibility (CSR) components

By: Krithika

Finance for Development Cont.The official funds for Public Sector Development

have been dispersed in to Sri Lanka mainly through OECD, ADB and World bank

Even though gender aspects and climate change has been considered as minor sectors in public sector funding, its vital that strategies to be undertaken to mainstream the above for a victorious achievement of the SDGs

By: Krithika

Potential Strategies to be undertakenIntroduction of Organic Agricultural practices

among farmer women

Introduce alternative income generating activities among women who primarily depend on natural resources for subsistence Target group

• Women who are involved in lagoon/ mangrove fishing • Women involved in sea shell, prawn and crab fishing• Women who cut trees for kitchen firewood purposes

By: Krithika

Potential Strategies to be undertaken Cont.

Introduce participatory approach in natural resource management i.e. : Empowered community groups ensure sustainable

exploitation of natural resources in their localityEstablish women community groups for disaster

resilience and other climate change impacts i.e.: at an occurrence of a natural disaster, such

empowered community groups may act as resilience groups to save the fellow citizens

By: Krithika

Referenceshttp://

www.statistics.gov.lk/samplesurvey/LFS_Annual%20Report_2014.pdf

http://www.aidflows.org