Calls For The Government Of Zimbabwe To Support Digital Innovations For Women In The Face Of Climate Change

Calls For The Government Of Zimbabwe To Support Digital Innovations For Women In The Face Of Climate Change

8 March 2023: ActionAid Zimbabwe (AAZ) joins the rest of the world in commemorating the International Women’s Day themed #DigitAll: Innovation and technology for gender equality,”. Celebrated on the 8th of March annually, the International Women's Day (IWD) is a global commemorative day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, combined with the call of action for the strengthening of gender equality and accelerating women’s empowerment and involvement in decision-making.

Globally, Zimbabwe included, women are increasingly being seen as more vulnerable than men to the impacts of climate change. A United Nations (UN) article of July 2022 notes that 80% of people displaced by climate change are women who face numerous challenges during climate shock situations, such as increased sexual and gender-based violence cases, psychosocial trauma, early and forced marriages, trafficking, forced migration, and increased poverty. More often in times of crisis by climate change women become shock absorbers, major food producers, caretakers, and agents of change. Yet women are not equally utilising technology and digital innovation to advance climate justice.

AAZ acknowledges The Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) efforts in promoting the use of both scientific and indigenous early warning systems to promote awareness raising in communities and reduce the impact of climate change. However, in communities, women in particular, are the custodians of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) but, have limited participation and capacity to infuse the IKS with information and communication technologies (ICTs) for digital innovations and interventions.

Innovation and digital technology provide unprecedented opportunities to break trends and reach those who are most likely to be left behind, women and other vulnerable groups included. In the context of climate change, evidenced by cyclones, floods and droughts that have affected Zimbabwe in the past 10 years and the world at large, the country needs to harness technology and digital innovation to advance climate justice for women. This includes recognising the potential of feminist economic alternatives in driving the climate justice agenda in the country for a more sustainable future for all. The feminist economic alternatives include investing in care economies such as technologies that reduce labour, unpaid care work especially for women and provide decent work for small holder farmers. The GoZ should therefore promote solutions that replace fossil fuels with clean energy technologies such as the use of solar energy and other green fuels.

AAZ, promotes women's leadership and rights, ensuring women are empowered to make decisions about the needs of their community during humanitarian crises. Women bring vital skills, resources, and experience to humanitarian response and when crises happen, they are often the first responders, taking risks and playing critical roles in the survival of families and communities.

AAZ also joins the rest of the ActionAid International family in asserting a collective #THANKYOU to all the women responders who have played a vital role in recent, and historic, crises and emergencies. In the same spirit, AAZ urges the GoZ to play its part in celebrating the women by ensuring the following: 

• Direct climate financing to development partners including civic organisations, communities, and other stakeholders to assist in implementation of climate justice, digital technologies and innovations for gender equality and economic development.
• Promote agroecological practices and feminist economic alternatives that blend indigenous knowledge systems and digital innovations to build resilience in marginalized communities of Zimbabwe.

For more details please contact:

ActionAid Zimbabwe Country Director, Joy Mabenge: Email joy.mabenge@actionaid.org or Mobile +263 772904479

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ActionAidZim
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ActionAidZimbabwe/
Website: https://zimbabwe.actionaid.org/

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