Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and the Gendered Burden of Care in the Sahel

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 66–78

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001289

Article Type: Research Article

Title: Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and the Gendered Burden of Care in the Sahel

Names of Author: Dr. Fatoumata Diallo¹

Author's Affiliation: ¹Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal.

Abstract:
Ecological degradation and prolonged droughts in the Sahel region have intensified resource scarcity, reshaping daily household labor and community survival strategies. Because socio-cultural norms assign women primary responsibility for water collection, fuelwood gathering, and subsistence food preparation, environmental shocks disproportionately expand women’s unpaid care workloads. Furthermore, long-distance travel to secure dwindling water supplies exposes rural women and girls to heightened risks of physical exhaustion, school dropout, and gender-based violence. This paper investigates the gendered dimensions of climate adaptation among agro-pastoralist communities in rural Senegal and Mali. Utilizing an African ecofeminist perspective, the study analyzes household time-use surveys alongside participatory rural appraisal workshops. The findings demonstrate that while climate stress entrenches gendered vulnerabilities, women also serve as vital custodians of indigenous ecological knowledge, spearheading community-led reforestation and water-conservation initiatives that remain underfunded by mainstream climate policies.

Keywords: Ecofeminism, climate change, water scarcity, unpaid care work, Sahel, gender vulnerability, indigenous knowledge, environmental justice

Manuscript Timeline: Received: May 25, 2026; Revised: July 04, 2026; Accepted: July 07, 2026; Published: August 14, 2026.

Citation: Diallo, F. (2026). Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and the Gendered Burden of Care in the Sahel. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(8), 66–78. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001289

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