The “Gender Just Climate Solution Award” was given to Pakistani environmentalist Javed Hussain at the COP27 climate conference in Egypt. He is the first recipient of the honour from Pakistan.
Hussain won the award for his work on a project titled “Advancing the labour rights of Pakistani women cotton pickers.”
The Hala-born environmentalist has actively worked on the issue of how the climate affects women who pick cotton in Mitiari and other areas of Sindh province, one of the most flood-prone districts in the province. Three awards were given out on Monday during a ceremony that saw a total of 259 organisations from 119 nations, including Pakistan, submits their applications.
According to a press release from the United Nations-affiliated group, Women Engage for Common Future’s Women and Gender Constituency, SCF employs a feminist participatory action research methodology to support the needs of female agricultural workers.
The foundation, which is based in Pakistan’s Mitiari district, “developed an innovative advocacy strategy linking social and climate justice,” according to the statement. According to the foundation’s website, its “objectives are to develop climate adaptation measures and construct a training programme for 100 women working in agriculture on climate awareness, climate justice, and labour rights protection.”
Hussain addressed the audience after winning the prize and stated, “It is a first that our efforts have been recognised on a global platform. To achieve climate justice for female agricultural workers, we still require assistance.”
Hussain said he was the first environmentalist from Pakistan to receive this award in a phone interview from Egypt with The Express Tribune, adding that “it’s a moment of great celebration.”
Hussain emphasised that “we need to seriously work on the impact of climate change and especially to consider women,” adding that his organisation had struggled for years to raise public awareness about climate change.
According to the Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) by the World Bank Group, Pakistan will require a staggering $348 billion over the course of eight years, or 800% more than its current annual budget, to halt climate-related disasters. However, a new report from the World Bank claims that if nothing is done now, climate change could eliminate one-fifth of the economy.
