As humans responsible for household affairs, women play a role in deciding the disposal (method) of waste, including the segregation of waste.Jakarta (ANTARA) - Women play a crucial role in managing the environment, particularly waste management in households, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Women's participation in managing household waste is important since they play a central role in their families, UNDP gender and public finance expert Chandra Sugarda said at a webinar on ‘Why does plastic have an impact on our climate?’ accessed from Jakarta on Wednesday.
"As humans responsible for household affairs, women play a role in deciding the disposal (method) of waste, including the segregation of waste,” she added.
In addition, as family members who buy most of the household needs, women contribute a lot to the selection of goods and the type of waste produced, based on their purchases, she pointed out.
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"The selection of goods they purchase also influences (household) waste,” she said.
As family educators, women also play a big role in inculcating environmentally friendly habits and values in children, she remarked.
Their role includes building awareness about the significance of conserving the environment, including the management of plastic waste, she said.
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"For instance, children are taught from their childhood to segregate plastic waste from organic one,” she added.
Unfortunately, women have lower resilience in responding and adapting to climate change, she said.
From the socio-cultural point of view, in Indonesia, women and men have different roles so there is a gap in access to resources, education, and healthcare.
"That is what later causes a different and unproportionate impact on men and women when it comes to climate change,” she said.
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Translator: Zubi Mahrofi, Suharto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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