Lesotho

All African countries have ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Paris Agreement, signalling a high-level political commitment to address climate change. As part of the commitment to the goal of the Paris Agreement of limiting global average temperature to well below 2°C and ideally 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, countries were invited to submit new or updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Low Carbon and Climate-Resilient Development Strategies (LTS) by 2020 (Paris Agreement Article 4).

Climate change worsens existing health issues for women, adolescent girls, and young people, including limited access to clean water, sanitation, food, healthcare, and education. It directly impacts sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender equality, and sustainable development, as outlined in the ICPD Programme of Action. Failure to uphold SRHR hinders women and girls' involvement in climate action and policy, limiting their education, livelihoods, and decision-making.

Studies have shown that attitudes and structural barriers due to different impairments make WWD more vulnerable to climate change, violence, and discrimination (Astbury and Walki, 2013). This is due to the myriad challenges faced by WWD such as lack of access to education, myths and cultural practices, high poverty levels, lack of power and finances, and poor access to information, among others, that are discriminatory and harmful to WWD.

The overall objective of the project is to improve the climate resilience of communities and local economies by increasing investments in climate change adaptation in target areas. This will enhance local governments’ direct access to climate finance by supporting the identification and strengthening of national institutions and stakeholders to access the Green Climate Fund.

Eastern and Southern Africa is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to the impacts of climate change, with two of the most affected countries and four out of the ten most affected countries globally in 2019. The extent of exposure and adaptive capacity varies both within and across communities, depending heavily on intersections of socio-economic status, socio-cultural norms, and access to resources.