Abstract:
This research is done to evaluate the vulnerability of women to climate change in some
selected districts of North Gondar Zone. The IPCC vulnerability measures index were used to analyze
the vulnerability level. As a result exposure index, adaptive capacity and sensitivity index with eight
major component and thirty five sub-components were used to collect data from respondents. 346
randomly selected respondents were used to collect data from the three purposively selected agroecology
zone districts. The result shows that there is high exposure level in Debark district (0.89)
followed by Dembia (0.86) while the least is scored in West Belesa district (0.86). Regarding the
adaptive capacity of districts Debark district scored the best result (0.3) and West Belesa district (0.2)
is the least. Similarly the sensitivity level becomes higher for West Belesa (0.89) which shows the least
coping mechanism by women and the highest result by Debark District (0.85). The vulnerability of the
district is therefore compute by taking the weight of the three contributing factors together and
calculated using IPPC formula. As a result of this the vulnerability level of the districts becomes 0.52
which lays on vulnerability categories according to IPPC vulnerability measures. The vulnerability
measures of each district were also done using the same formula. Therefore the result shows that
Debark District (0.52), Dembia District (0.5) and the highest score is West Belesa (0.59). The
researcher conclude that women in the study area are highly vulnerable to climate change and among
the contributing factors the value of Exposure and sensitivity indices are higher and adaptive capacity
to climate change is the practice in the study districts.
