The effects of climate change among the rural pastoral women and children in southern Ethiopia: A case study from lowland woreda of Borana zone

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to understand current underlining effects of the climate change on vulnerable groups with special attention to rural pastoral women and children in Yabello woreda of Borana zone, southern Ethiopia. The study employed cross sectional survey design and both primary and secondary data were collected to generate relevant information needed for the study. Interview questionnaire, focus group discussion and key informant interviews were used to collect the data. A sample of 120 (90 women and 30 men) was identified as respondents to the questions posed. Both qualitative and quantitative (descriptive statistics) data analysis methods were used to evaluate findings and draw conclusions and recommendations. The study discovered that women and children are more vulnerable to climate change impacts than their men counterparts. Factors such as skewed gender division of labor that increased women workload, lack of access and control over resources, high economic and psychological dependency on husbands, drought induced migration, conflicts and stresses are responsible for exposing women and children to vulnerability of climate change. The community employed several adaptation strategies ranging from livestock diversification and rangeland management system to alternative livelihood/income generating options. The traditional social support system among Borana community is still in use but it is getting weakened. Climate change tends to decrease potency of local adaptive capacity. The study also revealed that there is a wide range of institutional responses that aimed at enhancing communities‟ adaptive capacity. However, these institutional responses/interventions are playing minimal role in addressing vulnerability of women and children to climate change due to various reasons.