Current Challenges for Women Leadership in Climate Discussion
1. 38% 19%
Women seldom have the chances to be the decision-
makers towards climate issues. The limitation of making
decisions is not a particular thing only for environmental
challenges, but also when it comes to making decisions for
those environmental challenges.
Among 890 environmental
leadership positions, in 193 UN
Member States, only
approximately 12 percent of
heads of environment sector
ministries were women
Current Challenges for
Women Leaderships in
Climate Discussion
Just 38% of national
delegations participants
were women at 2015 Paris
Summit
The reason for women leaders being attacked
frequently may not be because of their leadership
skills, but is because they challenge the traditional
masculinity of society and its economic values.
Globally, only 19
percent of parliament
members are women
There is a popular theory that males and females
hold specific roles in society. "women were often
seen as having 'taking care' behaviours" while
men were seen as "being better at ‘taking
charge’ behaviours” (Zimmermannh 2020).
Out of eleven Pacific island
developing economies that were
studied, five even have no women
members in parliament at all.
Challenges For Women
in Developed Countries
The main conversations have been
portrayed by white males throughout
history, and the challenges are just
continuing for current women leaders
Challenges For Women
in Developed Countries
Gender Stereotypes
Women usually hold traditional
roles in family and community. They
have to fetch water, grow
vegetables, and take care of
children.
When their daily lives are occupied by these
family duties, they do not really have time to
think about women leadership.
Globally, women leaders experience attacks from
climate deniers and those who hold negative
attitudes towards women leadership.
"Older forms of industrial modern masculinity that
helped to push society towards “industrialization,
mechanism and capitalism” (Anshelm, 2014).
Anshelm, J., & Hultman, M. (2014). A green fatwā? Climate change as a threat to the masculinity of industrial
modernity. NORMA, 9(2), 84–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/18902138.2014.908627
Overview of linkages between gender and climate change. (2017, April 17).
https://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/gender/Gender%20and%20Environment/PB1-AP-Overview-
Gender-and-climate-change.pdf.
Zimmermann, A. (2020, June 23). Six Myths About Women Leaders. Cartier Women's Initiative.
https://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/blog/six-myths-about-women-leaders.
