The year 2023 witnessed Kenya grappling with unprecedented shifts in weather patterns, ushering in the nation’s most severe drought in four decades. These alterations in climate dynamics adversely affected crop yields and livestock, resulting in dire consequences for rural communities. Among those bearing the brunt were women, who experienced heightened vulnerability to malnutrition, dehydration, and extreme heat due to their quest for vital resources such as safe drinking water. The ramifications of this crisis were further exacerbated by the mass exodus of thousands of East Africans, triggering heightened concerns regarding resource-based conflicts and the spread of diseases. This unsettling scenario gave rise to an alarming surge in gender-based violence, instances of female genital mutilation, and early marriage of young girls.
A Gender-Inclusive Approach to Climate Change
Extensive research conducted by entities including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has unveiled a disconcerting reality: women and girls confront disproportionate health risks stemming from climate change and its far-reaching aftermath.
The intricate interplay between climate change and human well-being unfolds through multiple impact pathways. These include the direct repercussions on physical health triggered by extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves, as well as the indirect ramifications arising from altered natural environments—manifested in forms such as air pollution or the spread of vector-borne diseases. Yet, to grasp the heightened health hazards faced by women and girls, an in-depth examination of their distinctive contexts and challenges is imperative. Their limited access to healthcare, education, and essential resources further magnifies their susceptibility to health risks both during and in the aftermath of climate-related disasters. This nexus accentuates existing gender disparities, eroding women’s resilience and intensifying the prevailing social and economic marginalization.
A Spectrum of Challenges
Maternal and reproductive health services encounter formidable challenges amidst climate-related disasters, be it floods or earthquakes. Displacement, restricted access to healthcare facilities, and disruptions in medical supply chains impede women’s access to essential care. Pertinently, the U.N. underscores that women and girls constitute 80% of individuals displaced by climate change, exacting a severe toll on those necessitating maternal health services. A case in point was the 2022 floods in Pakistan, where over half a million pregnant women in affected regions lacked access to maternal health services. Urgent care was needed for one in every five, while approximately 2,000 mothers resorted to unsafe birthing conditions daily. The disruption of healthcare supply chains also engenders limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, precipitating unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, surges in sexually transmitted infections, and enduring repercussions like infertility.
Moreover, women bear a disproportionate burden in the aftermath of disasters when it comes to accessing clean water and sanitation facilities. Scarcity of these necessities is among the primary causes of female mortality worldwide. This scarcity leads to heightened susceptibility to urinary tract infections, bacterial diseases, and menstrual hygiene challenges. Swift access to safe interventions to combat such infections is frequently absent, and misuse of antibiotics amplifies the menace of antimicrobial resistance among women, further escalating global concerns.
The Toll on Caregivers
Women and girls find themselves contending with amplified physical and psychological stress as primary caregivers during times of adversity. Heightened responsibilities in households and resource gathering expose them to additional health risks, encompassing vector-borne illnesses, dehydration, heat-related ailments, and indoor air pollution. The increased demands of these roles also tend to curtail educational and vocational prospects for women, while simultaneously elevating the specter of child marriages and gender-based violence.
An Integrative Path Forward
While discussions pertaining to climate and health garner momentum, an essential consideration is the current absence of health- or gender-related indicators within Sustainable Development Goal 13, aimed at tackling climate change and its implications. To ensure the comprehensive safeguarding of women against the repercussions of climate change and disruptions to healthcare, a multifaceted strategy is imperative. This approach necessitates prioritizing disaggregated data, mobilizing context-specific solutions, and advocating steadfastly for the unique rights and welfare of women and girls.
The ramifications of climate change on women’s health are intricately intertwined with their local circumstances, resulting in diverse and distinctive impacts. Even within the confines of the same nation, women and girls encounter a range of challenges influenced by factors such as disparate access to food systems, housing conditions, infrastructure, income levels, educational opportunities, and community support networks. To address such complexities, targeted adaptation strategies are essential. Nonetheless, national plans and policies designed for adaptation frequently overlook women as a priority demographic. Recognizing that a one-size-fits-all approach to climate change adaptation falls short of efficacy, a tailored and context-specific strategy is imperative to bolster resilience and adaptability concerning women’s health. This necessitates a nuanced understanding of local requirements and circumstances.
One illustrative example is the Community Resilience Partnership Program initiated by the Asian Development Bank. The program centers on investing in and upscaling climate adaptation measures, with a special emphasis on the community level. Its objective is to address the interplay between climate dynamics and women’s health, catering to the distinct needs and contexts of communities.
Empowering Women through Advocacy for Their Uniquely Entrenched Rights
The absence of women’s inclusion in decision-making processes pertaining to climate change response renders them disproportionately susceptible to its repercussions. Despite the growing awareness of the intersection of climate change and health, the distinctive challenges confronting women and girls necessitate further recognition and action. To ensure comprehensive and effective policies, women’s perspectives, buttressed by empirical data, need to be seamlessly woven into realms such as policymaking, financial allocation, the strengthening of healthcare systems, and the orchestration of disaster relief and response strategies.
An exemplar in this domain is the Women’s Environment and Development Organization, which strives to amplify the voices of women in the formulation of climate change policies. This organization ardently advocates for climate actions that are both gender-responsive and sensitive to women’s unique concerns.
Catalyzing Change through Women’s Participation
Research findings underscore the correlation between the elevated social and political status of women and diminished emissions and climate footprints in respective countries. Women possess a pivotal role to play in both mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change. As we proceed, it remains imperative to acknowledge the persistent marginalization and bias that women and girls confront, amplifying their susceptibility to the health-related repercussions of climate change.
To foster progress, prioritizing gender-disaggregated solutions founded on robust data is paramount. Emphasizing localized resilience strategies is equally crucial, while elevating the voices and perspectives of women and girls is an essential tenet. These endeavors collectively contribute to realizing gender equality at the crossroads of climate and health, thereby laying the groundwork for a sustainable and resilient future that transcends generations.
