By Doreen Ampofo
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has launched a new map identifying high-risk areas in Ghana where women are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Known as the Gender Climate Vulnerability Hotspot Map, the tool highlights how climate change is exacerbating disparities in the agriculture, water, and energy sectors. The map is a key outcome of the REACH-STR project, implemented by IWMI and funded by the European Union.
It is designed as a decision-making tool that pinpoints areas where climate risks intersect with gender inequalities across Ghana’s key productive sectors.
In agriculture, the map revealed that regions such as Upper West and Bono East experience high exposure to drought and limited access to irrigation for women farmers. In the water sector, districts in the Northern and Savannah regions demonstrated high sensitivity to climate change due to heavy reliance on natural water sources. For energy, the Oti and North East regions showed high dependence on biomass and limited access to clean energy sources.
Giving further details about the findings, IWMI’s Deputy Country Representative and Project Coordinator, Dr. Charity Osei-Amponsah, said women in Ghana’s central and northern regions are the most affected by climate vulnerabilities.
“The interesting thing is that on the map, there are also some districts that are surrounded by top hotspot areas, but they are not hotspots themselves. We want to understand why they are in the midst of so much deep colour, but yet they are kind of resilient,” she said.
The map aims to support the development of targeted, gender-responsive climate change adaptation policies, programmes, and projects, ensuring that the most vulnerable districts benefit from timely interventions. It also supports resource allocation and monitoring and evaluation of adaptation efforts to ensure gender-specific vulnerabilities are addressed.
Paulina Rozycka, Head of the Infrastructure and Sustainable Development Section at the European Union Delegation, urged policymakers to make use of the Hotspot Map in crafting tailored climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.
“The European Union is committed to seeing these maps utilised to their fullest potential. We believe they will be instrumental in guiding targeted climate adaptation strategies and unlocking climate finance for gender-transformative climate resilience interventions,” she noted.
Dr. Olufunke Cofie, IWMI’s Africa Director for Research Impact, encouraged district-level officers, researchers, and development partners to use the maps for local planning and evidence-based resource allocation. She noted that the tool has potential for scaling up beyond Ghana.
“These maps can be applied to other projects, programmes, and initiatives across the region. We call on stakeholders to provide feedback to ensure the maps are revised to better meet their needs,” she said.
