Gender, migration, climate change and disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean

This is a background paper which formed part of the 66th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) Expert Meeting on Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes, prepared by Erika Pires Ramos and Keila McFarland Dias of the South American Network for Environmental Migrations (RESAMA).

This paper aimed to highlight the disproportionate burden carried by women and girls in the context of climate/environmentally-induced migration and displacement, particularly focusing on Latin American and the Caribbean (hereinafter LAC). It discussed the gendered dimensions of disaster displacement and how women and girls are vulnerable to it. Ultimately, the core objective of the paper was to recognise the role of women and their leadership in preventing, mitigating, responding and adapting to climate change and environmental disasters, thus emphasising the need to support their efforts, knowledge and capacities.