Women in Air Quality Initiative pushes for gender-responsive clean air policies across Africa

Women across Africa are calling for air quality policies that better reflect the realities they face, arguing that gender differences in pollution exposure have been overlooked for far too long.

Speaking to Michael Asharley on Clean Air Report Ghana at the Africa Clean Air Forum in Pretoria, South Africa, experts and advocates said women often bear a disproportionate share of air pollution because of traditional caregiving roles, cooking with polluting fuels and occupations that expose them to harmful emissions.

Tino Muponde, a Master's student in Public Health specialising in Environmental Health at the University of Cape Town whose research focuses on Just Transition, said attending the Women in Air Quality meeting in Pretoria showed the strength of women coming together around a common cause.