Women and Environmental Justice

Women and Environmental Justice

• About WHIN

• What is Environmental Justice?

• Women and Environmental Justice

• Aspects of Environmental Justice

About WHIN• Regional women’s health service for NMR and

one of 11 specialist services in Victoria.

• Covering Banyule, Darebin, Hume, Moreland, Nillumbik, Whittlesea and Yarra.

• 20 years experience in providing services

Women’s Health Promotion

Women’s Health In the North (WHIN) aims to strengthen women’s health and wellbeing,

with a strategic focus on preventing violence against women, sexual and

reproductive rights, economic participation and environmental sustainability.

 

‘…the fair treatment for people of all races, cultures and incomes regarding the

development of environmental laws,

regulations and policies’(Environmental Protection Agency, USA)

What is Environmental Justice (EJ)?

Women and EJ

Why should a gendered perspective be included in EJ analysis?

1. Women are generally poorer than men.

2. The social construction of womanhood restricts women’s behaviour.

3. Women live longer than men.

•Worldwide, women earn just over 50c to every dollar earned by a men.

•In Australia, women earn about 18% less than men.

•55% of women in their 60s have no superannuation.

1. Women are generally poorer than men

Why?

•Women do more unpaid work and have more caring responsibilities.

– Women are much more likely to be lone parents.

•Segregation of women into low-paying work.

•Steven Pressman, 2003: Feminist Explanations for the Feminization of Poverty

2. The Social Construction of Womanhood

• More women died in floods in Bangladesh because they are not taught to swim and because culturally-specific clothing (e.g. saris) restrict movement.

• In Australia, women in male-headed households are less likely to be familiar with bushfire protection procedures.

• Women are less likely to use cars than men, resulting in a greater reliance on public transport.

• Women are more vulnerable to domestic violence and rape after natural disasters.

Life expectancy for Australians:

Men: 79.4

Women: 84.35

3. Women live longer than men

Intersections of discrimination

‘Gendered vulnerability does not derive from a single factor… but reflects historically and culturally specific patterns of relations in social institutions, culture and personal lives. Intersecting with economic, racial and other inequalities, these relationships create hazardous social conditions placing different groups of women differently at risk.’ (Enarson 1998)

Economic Participation

Housing

• Poorer areas more likely to be polluted

• Fuel poverty

• Protection against heatwaves

• Rental housing

• Homeless women

Transport• Importance of mobility• Women use cars less often, public transport more

often• Problems exacerbated by urban planning• Women in rural areas

Food Insecurity• Women are traditionally in charge of household

food supplies• Related to poverty• Women in rural areas• Homeless women

Women and Natural Disaster

Disasters• Preparing for disasters• Evacuation• Aftermath• Emergency management• Disaster education

Heatwaves• Women and thermoregulation

• Who is at risk?• The elderly, children • Women? • Socio-economic

status/education level?

Why might women be more at risk?

Mental Health

Women and Mental Health

• Women are more vulnerable to ‘internalising disorders’ such as depression and anxiety.

• Men are more vulnerable to ‘externalising disorders’, e.g. aggression.

• Why?

• Impoverished groups are at a greater risk of mental health problems.

Climate Change and Mental Health• Increase in number and severity of natural

disasters.• Increased risk of injury and physical health

problems.• Endangerment of natural and social environments.

• Corollary effects

• Effects of adaptation

Climate change, mental health and women

• Very little research• Expectation that existing risks would be

magnified

Climate Change and Rural Women

Rural Women• Australian agriculture is highly male-dominated.

• Women’s work is often ignored and specific needs are not considered.

• Women have little presence in decision-making.

Rural Women and Drought• Women forced to seek off-farm work to supplement

family income.

• Personal relationships put under stress.

• Instability within family.

• Women became farm financial managers.

• Women usually excluded from decision-making.

• Children.

Children, the Elderly and the Disabled

Children• 88% of the burden of disease due to climate change

falls on children.• Physiology• Mental age• Burden on women

The Elderly• Physiological effects of ageing• In disasters• Knowledge transfer

The Disabled• 10% of any population, but often invisible• Women with disabilities• Disasters• Building alliances

Decision-Making and Leadership

• Equal representation

• Women constitute 13% of government officials worldwide

• Women in environmental movements

• Critical mass

Women and Leadership

Conclusion

How are these issues relevant to women living in

Melbourne?

Contact Details

Cathy WeissResearch Assistant – EJ priority area

Women’s Health In the North680 High StreetThornbury 3071

9484 1666info@whin.org.au

http://www.facebook.com/whinmelbournehttp://twitter.com/#!/whinwomen