| COP29 in Baku has come and gone, leaving us with a bittersweet mix of progress and betrayal. For rural women across Southern Africa, this conference was yet another reminder that the climate crisis is not simply an environmental issue—it is a feminist issue. Climate change is a product of the same patriarchal and capitalist systems that have exploited women, commodified nature, and marginalized communities for centuries. If we do not confront these systems head-on, no amount of pledges or policies will bring us closer to justice. |
| At COP29, rural women were present, resilient, and unyielding in their demands for transformative change. Yet, the outcomes fell short of what we have long advocated for: dismantling the power structures that perpetuate climate injustice. The much-lauded $300 billion climate finance target by 2025 is not a victory; it is a distraction. While the figure may sound significant, it is a drop in the ocean compared to the $1.3 trillion annually that developing countries need to address climate impacts. But the greater betrayal lies in the reliance on loans rather than grants, forcing countries—and by extension, communities—into deeper cycles of debt and dependence. For us, rural women, farming in drought-stricken lands, the challenge remains: how much of this money will truly reach those who need it most? The current systems, dominated by centralised control and bureaucratic hurdles, often exclude rural communities from the funding they desperately need. Without these changes, climate finance risks becoming yet another promise that fails to address the realities on the ground. The adoption of a 10-year gender work program at COP29 was framed as progress, but we see through the smoke and mirrors. While commitments to gender-responsive financing and data disaggregation are welcome, they are meaningless without the full and active participation of women—particularly rural women—in every stage of decision-making. Patriarchal resistance to embedding feminist principles into climate governance was palpable at COP29. This resistance underscores a painful truth: those in power will continue to use gender as a buzzword while sidelining real feminist solutions. Rural women’s leadership in agroecology and climate resilience must not only be acknowledged but centered. Anything less is a perpetuation of patriarchal violence. COP29 exposed the cracks in global climate governance, but it also showcased the power of collective resistance. Women, youth, and Indigenous groups turned up in force, bringing their lived realities to the heart of negotiations. However, their voices were often drowned out by the deafening presence of fossil fuel lobbyists—a stark reminder of the entrenched power of patriarchal capitalism. COP29 was also a reminder that the fight for climate justice is inseparable from the fight against patriarchy. |
