Security impacts of climate change on daily life practices of individuals in the Central Sahel

Öz

The Central Sahel region, which encompasses Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, is significantly affected by climate change. High temperatures, water scarcity, and drought directly impact the daily lives of communities in the region, creating significant vulnerabilities for human security. Shrinking water and food resources undermine the livelihoods of communities primarily engaged in agriculture and livestock farming, while rising poverty rates also impact migration and conflict dynamics. In this sense, communities living in rural areas with limited access to water, particularly those seeking long-distance water supplies, exacerbate physical and gender-based risks. The threat multiplier of climate change, which intensifies regional and local conflicts, reshapes societal dynamics. Furthermore, in addition to social and political issues, the economic hardships stemming from climate change weaken households' social and economic resilience, leading to increased migration inclinations among men and, consequently, increased family vulnerabilities. This study examines the impacts of climate change-related impacts on individuals in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, located in the Central Sahel, within the framework of human security. As a result, it emphasizes that the local reflections of international and regional policies, especially those carried out under the leadership of the United Nations, are inadequate and argues that, unlike existing methods, new approaches focused on ensuring human security specific to the needs of regions and communities should be created.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• security studies
• gender
• human security
• climate change

İklim değişikliğinin Orta Sahel’de yaşayan bireylerin günlük yaşam pratikleri üzerine güvenlik etkileri

Öz

Burkina Faso, Mali ve Nijer’in bulunduğu Orta Sahel Bölgesi iklim değişikliğinden önemli ölçüde etkilenmektedir. Yüksek sıcaklıklar, su kıtlığı ve kuraklık bölgede bulunan toplumların gündelik yaşam pratikleri üzerinde doğrudan etkiler yaratarak insan güvenliği açısından önemli kırılganlıklar oluşturmaktadır. Su ve gıda kaynaklarının daralması özellikle tarım ve hayvancılıkla uğraşan toplumlarının geçim kaynaklarını baltalarken, yoksulluk oranlarının giderek artması da göç ve çatışma dinamiklerini etkilemektedir. Bu anlamda, suya erişimin kısıtlı olduğu kırsal bölgelerde yaşayan toplulukların özellikle uzun mesafeli su temmini arayışına girmesi fiziksel ve toplumsal cinsiyet temelli riskleri arttırırken iklim değişikliğinin tehdit çarpanı etsinin bölgesel ve yerel çatışmaları güçlendirmesi toplum dinamiklerini yeniden şekillendirmektedir. Ayrıca, toplumsal ve siyasal meselelerin yanı sıra iklim değişikliği kaynaklı ekonomik zorlukların hanelerin sosyal ve ekonomik dayanıklılığını zayıflatması erkeklerin göç eğilimlerini ve dolayısıyla aile içi kırılganlıkların artmasına neden olmaktadır. Bu çalışma, Orta Sahel’de bulunan Burkina Faso, Mali ve Nijer’de yaşanan iklim değişikliği kaynaklı etkilerin bireyler üzerindeki etkilerini insan güvenliği çerçevesinde incelemektir. Sonuç kısmında, özellike Birleşmiş Milletler öncülüğünde yürütülen uluslararası ve bölgesel politikaların yerel düzeydeki yansımalarının yetersiz olduğunu vurgulayarak mevcut yöntemlerin aksine bölgelerin ve toplulukların ihtiyaçlarına özel insan güvenliğini sağlamaya odaklı yeni yaklaşımların oluşturulması gerektiğini savunmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• güvenlik çalışmaları
• toplumsal cinsiyet
• insan güvenliği
• iklim değişikliği

Kaynakça

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