Indigenous Women’s Vulnerability to Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies in Central Africa: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The adverse effects of climate change cut across several sectors of the economy and are mostly felt in rural communities, especially among indigenous people in the developing world. Furthermore, the perils related to climate change threaten to reinforce gender inequalities that partly emanate from unequal distribution and restricted rights to resources to cope with climate change that see women—especially female-headed households—often being disadvantaged. Such unfortunate circumstances in the agricultural sector could erode progress made towards gender equality. Because Central Africa is one of the regions highly vulnerable to extreme weather conditions in sub-Saharan Africa that threatens the existence and livelihoods of indigenous people, this chapter examines how indigenous women are vulnerable to climate change and how they adapt by adopting a systematic review of existing literature. The findings revealed that differentiated gender roles at household level and patriarchy are some factors that make indigenous women in Central Africa more vulnerable to climate change than their male counterparts. In addition, the findings suggested that social capital and community-based adaptation solutions have the potential to curb the gender divide that makes indigenous women more vulnerable to climate change than their male counterparts through network building.