Who Cares in the Climate Crisis? Gender, Rights, and Resilience

In her recent article, “Who Cares in the Climate Crisis? Gender, Rights, and Resilience,” Gizem  Demir Nirennold, MMM Representative at the United Nations in Geneva, examines how  climate change magnifies care burdens and deepens gender inequality. Drawing on  international frameworks such as CEDAW General Recommendation No. 37 and the  UNFCCC Gender Action Plan, she argues that without explicitly recognising and redistributing  care responsibilities, climate action risks reinforcing existing injustices rather than remedying  them.

The article analyses two key case studies, the 2022 monsoon floods in Pakistan and  gender-responsive cyclone shelters in Bangladesh, to show both the challenges and solutions. In Pakistan, floods transformed everyday care into emergency survival, as disrupted  health services and displacement intensified women’s unpaid work and jeopardised their health  and safety. Bangladesh, by contrast, demonstrates how gender-sensitive planning and women’s  leadership can reduce risks and strengthen community resilience when care is centred in  adaptation design.

The lesson is clear: to build resilient societies, care must be treated as core climate  infrastructure, as vital as energy, transport, or water systems. Investing in care means  investing in resilience, equality, and human rights.

Echoing the article, Gizem’s video message for the International Day of Care and Support  delivers MMM’s key call to action:

“Investing in care means protecting rights, strengthening resilience, and building a  more equal and sustainable future for all.”

As COP approaches, MMM urges policymakers to embed care into national climate strategies  and adaptation plans. Recognising, valuing, and financing care systems, from childcare and  health to water and social protection, is not only a matter of gender justice; it is a cornerstone of  climate resilience and sustainable development.