Weathering Change gets to Brazil!

Among the categories we use to classify people in our society, “man” and “woman” are fundamental. From them we build our gender identities, for example, even in the case of transsexual persons. Being classified as “man” or “woman” gives each of us social rights, privileges and disadvantages over which we don’t always have full control. Being a man and being a woman, in our society, are different experiences.

We usually organize our families and divide chores and domestic labor also according to gender. Women are generally educated to give care while men are generally educated to worry about their families’ financial situation. Although we have been fighting to change that, we still live mostly following these divisions.

Facing climate change – whether they’re caused by us or not – women and men need to adjust their lives and families. Who cleans the house after a flood? Who takes care of storing water and transporting kids to school? Who ends up moving to another city to increase a tiny bit the family income when agriculture is no longer enough?

With great support of Population Action International, #ChangeMob is starting a project in Brazil to discuss and explore further the linkages between gender and climate change. The goal of “Weathering Change – Brasil” is to promote meaningful debate on gender differences and inequalities in the context of climate change, and to involve different stakeholders in this debate. We want to make sure that young people, academics, the media and policy makers of different kinds will join us around the table to a frank conversation around the policy gaps, and the solutions to foster gender equality in Brazil.

We will be at least three sessions of the movie “Weathering Change”, produced by Population Action International, in three different Brazilian cities: Brasília, the capital, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are already confirmed. After each session there will be debates with specialists on the topic.