The IGC Secretariat cordially invites you to the IGC Lunch and Learn: Weathering the Storm: Sexual and Reproductive Health in Climate Change on Thursday 31 October from 12:00 to 13:00 CET.
Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is an integral element of gender equality and is inextricably linked to climate change. Extreme weather events, climate-related disasters and environmental degradation disrupt access to SRH services, affecting health outcomes, resilience, and access to resources and opportunities. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to these climate challenges, which exacerbate adverse health outcomes, school dropouts, food insecurity, violence and harmful practices (IISD, 2021). For instance, climate-related disasters increase risks related to maternal and child health by restricting access to health care, while extreme heat has been linked to higher incidences of stillbirths (UN Women 2022). Further, the number of girls at extreme risk of facing the double blow of climate change and child marriage is set to increase 33% to nearly 40 million by 2050, with around two-thirds of child marriages occurring in regions with higher-than-average climate risks (Save the Children 2023).
During the fifth and final Lunch and Learn session of 2024, titled ‘Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Context of Climate Change,’ speakers will explore the connections between SRH and climate change. They will discuss how climate change impacts the lives of women and girls around the world and emphasize the importance of promoting gender-transformative policies and programmes to ensure equitable SRH outcomes in the face of the climate crisis.
Speakers:
- Claire Mathellie-Marcano, Policy and Advocacy Advisor, Plan International
- Mohinder Watson, Main UN Geneva Representative, International Council of Women
- Chiagozie Udeh, Advocacy and Policy Analyst on Climate Change, UNFPA
We will offer this event in a hybrid format. If you are available to attend in-person, please join us on the seventh floor of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), where lunch will be served. Please note that in-person attendance is limited to 25 participants and that spots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Kindly RSVP by Tuesday 29 October via the following link to let us know whether you will attend in-person or online: https://gcsp-ch.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpce2rrD4jG9wFvsGsSZCZNR6KKT1TrldC#/registration