Climate Change, Gender and Governance: A Brief Report on Environmental Stressors and Women's Socio-Economic Agency in South Sudan (2021–2026)

This brief report examines the critical nexus between climate change, gender, and governance in South Sudan, focusing on the period 2021–2026. It investigates how intensifying environmental stressors—specifically increased flooding and drought—are reshaping the socio-economic agency of women, with particular attention to women-led businesses and leadership within the energy sector. The methodology synthesises field-based qualitative interviews with women entrepreneurs and community leaders, alongside analysis of recent national climate and gender policy frameworks. Findings indicate that climate-induced displacement and resource scarcity have disproportionately increased women's labour burdens, yet concurrently catalysed new forms of agency. Women are emerging as pivotal actors in decentralised renewable energy solutions, such as solar-powered enterprises, which enhance community resilience. However, entrenched governance challenges and limited access to finance severely constrain the scalability of these initiatives. The report argues that, without gender-responsive governance integrating women's climate adaptation strategies into national energy and economic planning, a significant opportunity for equitable, sustainable development will be lost. This underscores the imperative for African-led policy that recognises and resources women not merely as victims, but as essential agents of climate adaptation and socio-economic transformation in fragile states.