New PolEthicas Case! An Ethical Analysis of Andean Women’s Vulnerabilities and Health Equity in the Face of Climate Change

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Context: The development of ethical frameworks in health and climate change could help guide the actions of practitioners. One such example is the Declaration of Ethical Principles in relation to Climate Change adapted by the member states of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2017. The six shortlisted principles, 1) Prevention of harm, 2) Precautionary approach, 3) Equity and justice, 4) Sustainable development, 5) Solidarity, and 6) Scientific knowledge and integrity in decision-making, were globally agreed based on the initial ten principles of adaptation and mitigation in climate change proposed by UNESCO and COMEST (World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology) in 2015.  

Objectif: In this regard, the present case study aims to reflect on the application of ethical principles in relation to climate change by contextualizing the vulnerabilities of Quechua women to climate change in the Department of Ayacucho, located in the south-central Andean highlands of Peru

Discussion: We first review regional policies to examine the extent of climate change’s impact on health, particularly women’s health. Regional policies in relation to climate change adaptation that had been published in the past ten years (2015-2024) were identified through a Google search. Next, we explore sociocultural processes where women’s traditional knowledge and cultural practices are practiced and shared in complex power dynamics within the community. We examine to what degree they are integrated into adaptation programs and planning in specific spatial and geographic conditions and a broad socioeconomic structure. 

Conclusion: Finally, by applying ethical principles included in UNESCOs Declaration of Ethical Principles in relation to Climate Change, such as equity, justice, and fairness of an inclusive decision-making process using science and indigenous traditional knowledge, we discuss the importance of understanding the indigenous ways of living and knowledge that shape the specific vulnerabilities and capabilities of Quechua women in climate change adaptation planning and implementation 

 

Authors:

  • Sakiko Yamaguchi
  • Junior Adolfo Villantoy Huaman
  • Celia Yanira Flores
  • Julián Berrocal Flores
  • Doris Castillo Gamboa

Remerciements :

The authors thank the Public Policy and Population Health axis of the Quebec Population Health Research Network (RRSPQ) for its contribution to the funding of this publication.