Are they interconnected? How does climate change impact women’s and girl’s sexual and reproductive health?
Climate change impact is not gender neutral
The MENA region is projected to experience the worst impacts of climate change in the coming decades, and these effects are not gender-neutral. Literature indicates that women face disproportionate impacts due to their social roles within society. Their responsibilities as caregivers, combined with existing socio-economic inequalities, make them more vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
A key question arises: does climate change significantly impact women and girls’ Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in the region? In the lead-up to COP28, Oxfam commissioned a study to explore this often-overlooked relationship. The study involved interviews with women from the MENA region, and its findings suggest a complex and mutually reinforcing relationship between climate change and SRHR. If not addressed, climate change will worsen the challenges women and girls face in accessing and enjoying their SRHR in the region.
How does climate change impact the reproductive and sexual health of women and girls in the MENA region?
Based on the real-life experience of the interviewed women and girls in the MENA region, the study highlighted several crucial findings about the complex relationship between climate change and SRHR in the MENA region. The study reveals how socio-cultural norms and conservative attitudes significantly limit discussions and access to SRHR in many parts of the region. The significant stigma and taboo surrounding reproductive health, fertility, and menstruation are further compounded by climate change impacts, the region’s economic challenges, and the prioritization of immediate survival needs.
Climate change may exacerbate gender-based violence and harmful practices such as domestic violence and forced and early marriage. Forced and early marriage frequently emerges as a response to early puberty in girls and the loss of livelihoods, which are both connected to climate change effects including extreme weather events and food and water insecurity. Women in areas impacted by climate change also face shifts in family dynamics and economic hardships, diminishing their health and autonomy.
Pregnancy risks are also intensified under climate change, with dehydration, heat stress, and the spread of climate-sensitive infectious diseases affecting maternal health, particularly in conflict-affected and displaced populations. As a result, women in these circumstances often face more significant challenges accessing SRHR services due to restricted mobility and healthcare disruptions.
Women with intersecting identities, including rural or conflict areas, refugees, migrants, and those with disabilities, face even more significant barriers to SRHR services, and these challenges are exacerbated by climate change.
Addressing the intersection of SRHR and climate change for women in MENA
This research highlights the complex and profound intersection between climate change, gender and SRHR in the MENA region. The findings reveal that climate change not only exacerbates existing gender inequalities but also significantly hinders the realization of SRHR for women and girls. The insights gathered from diverse groups of women across the MENA region paint a vivid picture of the challenges faced. This study calls for united efforts to fill the knowledge gaps, address the existing gender inequalities and vulnerabilities, and to commit to both climate adaptation and mitigation. Adopting intersectional and gender-sensitive approaches is crucial in navigating the complex nexus of climate change, gender, and SRHR.