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How is gender investigated in African climate change research? A systematic review of the literature

Abstract

This systematic review analyzes all 260 studies published in the Web of Science on gender and climate change in Africa. While there is no strong methodological bias, comparative case studies and sex disaggregated analyses predominate from a limited set of countries. Many articles covered the agrarian sector by comparing women’s and men’s on-farm vulnerability to a changing climate based on their adaptation behaviours. Though this literature recognizes women’s important conservation, farming, and food responsibilities, it oftentimes generalized these contributions without providing evidence. A number of themes were covered by a very limited number of articles, including coastal areas, conflict, education, energy, migration, urban areas, and water. Overall, more justice-oriented research is needed into the socioeconomic structures that intersect with social identities to make certain people, places, and institutions more vulnerable. Investigations into the power dynamics between (social) scientists and African institutions are also needed as most articles reviewed stem from North America and Europe and are locked beyond paywalls.

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The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this particular article, though they would like to acknowledge the overall support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. They would also like to thank the reviewers for their detailed feedback.

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Vercillo, S., Huggins, C. & Cochrane, L. How is gender investigated in African climate change research? A systematic review of the literature. Ambio 51, 1045–1062 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-021-01631-w

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Keywords

  • Africa
  • Climate change
  • Gender
  • Systematic review