The effects of climate change have been spoken about for a long time now. As the Earth continues to heat up, and we as a species continue to bear the brunt of our own actions — while looking at faster alternatives to combat the crisis at hand — one thing that comes to the fore is that women are more at the receiving end of extreme weather events.
New research has found that climate change impacts the sexual and reproductive health of women. The study was conducted by a US-based NGO Ipas50, in Bangladesh, Zambezia, Moazmbique and Khulna, between 2020 and 2021. It states that climate change affects girls and women disproportionately by exacerbating the gender inequalities that exist, disrupting their access to sexual as well as reproductive healthcare and lessens their economic opportunities that are anyway already limited.
It said climate change, either directly or indirectly affected women in terms of contraceptive use, pregnancy outcomes, fertility intentions, vulnerability to sexual and gender-based violence, sexual health and economic roles.
"The interrelations between reproductive health and climate change are profound and multifaceted. Climate change poses significant risks to reproductive health, as extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and changing ecosystems can disrupt access to healthcare, including reproductive services," said Anjal Prakash, an author on the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The effects of climate change are not "gender neutral." UN Women, an entity under the United Nations that is dedicated to empowerment of women and gender equality, in a blog post in February 2022, said the effects of climate change on girls and women amplified the existing gender inequalities and put their health, safety and livelihoods at risk.
"Some impacts of climate change are because of the biological predisposition and ensuing resilience or vulnerability. Most impacts are due to gender and social inequalities. Pre-existing inequalities will reinforce gender and social inequities. We have seen how COVID had differential effects depending on age, class, caste, gender and prior health conditions. Similarly, we will experience climate change impacts if a variety of inequalities and vulnerabilities are not addressed urgently," said Dr Lakshmi Lingam, retired professor, TISS.
Let us delve into some of the effects of climate change on the sexual and reproductive health of girls and women:
COP28 to host 'Health Day' — a first in COP history
In a first, COP28 this year, will be hosting a 'Health Day', a first in COP history. Sultan Al Jaber, the COP28 President, said the world needs to broaden its definition of adapting in order to enable global climate resilience, enhance forestry land use and water management and transform food systems.
"Focusing on health in the context of climate change is of paramount importance. Climate change poses significant threats to human health, including increased risks of infectious diseases, heat-related illnesses, malnutrition, and mental health challenges. By prioritising health, we can mitigate these adverse effects and build resilience in vulnerable populations. Promoting access to healthcare services, strengthening healthcare systems, and implementing climate-resilient infrastructure are crucial steps," Prakash said, adding that investing in research and surveillance systems to monitor the health impacts of climate change and educating communities about preventive measures can also help safeguard public health in the face of this global challenge.