Deputy Speaker urges greater female participation in climate governance and policy

Deputy Speaker Annelie Lotriet is calling for greater participation of women in addressing climate change, as women parliamentarians from G20 nations meet in Kleinmond, Western Cape.

Lotriet said women MPs not only possess legislative authority but also a deep understanding of the communities they serve.

Today’s meeting will feed into a gathering of speakers from G20 parliaments later this week to discuss parliamentary responses to global challenges.

Deputy Speaker Annelie Lotriet has appealed to women parliamentarians to champion gender-responsive climate policies that consider how climate change disproportionately affects women, particularly in rural areas.

She emphasised that parliaments must ensure sufficient funding is allocated to include women-led initiatives in resilience programmes.

“Women are not just stakeholders. They are leaders. We represent them, and they count on us to turn policy into action.”

Lotriet noted that, although women and girls bear the greatest burden of climate change, they remain under-represented in decision-making. She added that through parliamentary structures, women can be encouraged to participate in climate governance, disaster response, and clean economy sectors.