By Hamza Saeed
LAHORE
More than 40 female cyclists in Pakistan came together to participate in the Pedal for People and Planet bike action at Bagh-e-Jinnah to mark International Women’s Month. The event was organized by the Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee, Aman Foundation, Crofter Foundation, and the Asian People’s Movement on Debt and Development with the aim to raise awareness about climate change and highlight the significant role women play in the fight for climate justice.
The Pedal for People and Planet bike action emphasized the challenges women face due to climate change, which disproportionately affects them, exacerbating their existing burdens, including domestic care work and loss of earnings due to the adverse impacts on natural resources. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), gender inequalities are further amplified by climate-related hazards, resulting in higher workloads for women, psychological and emotional stress, and higher mortality rates compared to men.
Lidy Nacpil, coordinator of Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD), stressed the need for immediate actions to strengthen food systems that address women’s social and economic needs, particularly in rural areas where women bear the brunt of climate change-induced droughts, heat waves, or flooding that destroy crops and livelihoods.
The event highlighted the critical role women play in climate change mitigation and adaptation and the need to ensure their participation and representation in decision-making processes at all levels. It was also an opportunity to emphasize the importance of collective action and solidarity to address climate change, which affects everyone, regardless of gender or socio-economic status.