The impact of climate change is severe among women and girls, who comprise 80% of those displaced by extreme weather and whose health needs are often overlooked, deepening existing gender inequalities. Although Uganda’s National Climate Change Policy recognises gender-differentiated impacts, challenges remain in implementing inclusive, gender-responsive measures.
Climate change is not gender neutral. It disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, particularly women, by deepening existing inequalities linked to deep-rooted cultural and social norms. In Uganda’s rural areas, restrictive social norms limit women’s access to land and financial resources, undermining their ability to effectively address climate change and other environmental risks, despite their central role in food production.
Women bear a disproportionate burden of unpaid care work, including food provision, water and firewood collection, and other household responsibilities. Climate change intensifies these burdens by forcing women and girls to travel longer distances for basic needs, which reduces their time for paid work, deepens poverty, and increases their exposure to safety risks. Long treks for water also contribute to school dropouts among girls, limiting their access to education and increasing the risks of early marriage, malnutrition, and long-term poverty.
Gendered impact of climate change
These daily challenges are further exacerbated by Uganda’s growing exposure to extreme weather events. Floods affect nearly 50,000 people annually and cause over USD 62 million in damages, while droughts impacting 2.4 million people pose an even greater threat. For instance, droughts in 2010 and 2011 resulted in USD 1.2 billion in losses. These climate shocks are closely tied to food insecurity, as seen in the 2017 drought, which left more than one million people in dire need of food assistance, severely impacting household food systems, something that is primarily managed by women.
Climate-related displacement disproportionately affects women and girls, who make up 80% of those forced from their homes. Displacement exposes them to increased poverty, violence, unplanned pregnancies, early marriage, and restricted access to clean water and sanitation.
The health impacts of climate change on women are often overlooked. Rising temperatures and air pollution elevate pregnancy risks such as premature birth and maternal complications. Droughts and floods worsen food insecurity, contributing to a rise in intimate partner violence (IPV), which in turn increases mental health challenges like stress and depression. As Ruth Hollands notes, women represent the largest demographic affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after climate disasters, largely due to the spike in sexual violence that often accompanies such events.
Uganda’s climate change policy and challenges
Uganda’s 2015 National Climate Change Policy acknowledges that climate change affects men and women differently and highlights the need for gender-sensitive interventions. It emphasises the role of women as essential contributors to climate action. Yet, it approaches women as a largely homogenous group, failing to account for the diverse experiences and intersectional factors that shape their vulnerabilities, such as place of residence (rural versus urban), income levels, and marital status. While the policy briefly acknowledges the role of rural women in climate action, this limited recognition hinders the effective targeting and tailoring of interventions to meet the specific needs of different groups of women.
Building on this framework, the National Climate Change Act, 2021, formalised Uganda’s climate response, introducing comprehensive measures such as emissions tracking, institutional coordination, financing, and participation in global climate mechanisms. Although the country has an enabling policy framework, the National Development Plan IV (NDP IV)—Uganda’s five-year plan aimed to accelerate the socio-economic transformation—highlights ongoing challenges in implementing climate change action. These include inadequate funding, insufficient infrastructure, and outdated technology. Further, institutional delays continue to impede progress. For example, an advisory committee to oversee the effective implementation of the National Climate Change Act of 2021 was launched in 2024, nearly three years after the passage of the Act, underscoring persistent gaps between policy formulation and implementation.
Women driving climate solutions
While women are among the most vulnerable to climate change, they also possess immense potential as agents of change. Effective climate adaptation and mitigation strategies must prioritise gender equality to address climate challenges comprehensively. Recognising this, the United Nations Climate Change agency underscores the crucial role of women in building climate resilience, especially when they are meaningfully involved in decision-making processes.
In Uganda, several initiatives exemplify the transformative impact of women-led climate action. The Women’s Empowerment for Resilience and Adaptation Against Climate Change initiative has mobilised over 1,600 women-led groups, reaching over 250,000 women. Each woman saves at least USD 1 per week, collectively creating a fund of USD 2.8 million. These funds are reinvested into income-generating, climate-resilient ventures such as sustainable land management, agroforestry, soil conservation, and the adoption of energy-efficient technologies like improved cookstoves.
Similarly, the Girls for Climate Action initiative has established five climate demonstration hubs to serve as innovation spaces for young women and girls. These hubs enable them to design, prototype, and implement local climate solutions. Beyond encouraging grassroots innovation, the hubs generate green jobs and enhance community resilience.
Notably, the National Climate Change Act, 2021 mandates that at least one-third of the National Climate Change Advisory Committee be women, promoting their inclusion in climate decision-making.
This approach aligns with eco-feminist theory, which suggests that women’s inherent nurturing roles incline them to protect the environment. Supporting this, a study in Northern Uganda found that training women in climate adaptation and mitigation significantly improved food security. Moreover, these trained women often shared their knowledge with others, creating positive ripple effects throughout their communities.
The evidence is undeniable: empowering women is essential, not optional, for building effective climate resilience. Future climate strategies must actively incorporate women’s perspectives, elevate their leadership, and ensure their full participation in decision-making. Equitable access to education, green technologies, and vital resources must also be prioritised to unlock the full potential of women as drivers of sustainable climate solutions.