On Thursday 31 October, the IGC Secretariat held its fifth and final Lunch and Learn event of 2024 titled ‘Weathering the Storm: Sexual and Reproductive Health in Climate Change’. This session centered on the impacts of climate change on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and examined strategies and recommendations for effectively integrating SRHR into climate adaptation policies and programmes.
The event featured Mohinder Watson, Main UN Geneva Representative at the International Council of Women, and Chiagozie Udeh, Policy and Advocacy Analyst at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Claire Mathellié Marcano, UN Policy and Advocacy Advisor at Plan International’s Geneva Office, opened and moderated the session. She reminded the audience that young women and girls are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis, which affects every aspect of their lives—from educational opportunities to health and well-being. She emphasized that it is "our responsibility to find solutions and act."
Watson outlined the connection between climate change and child, early, and forced marriage, showing how climate pressures intensify existing drivers and explained linkages with child marriage. For instance, families losing their crops due to extreme weather conditions and falling into poverty, are more likely to arrange marriages for their daughters in exchange for a bride price. In situations of displacement, heightened fears of sexual violence may prompt families to arrange marriages for their daughters for protection from violence and to safeguard their and their families’ honour. Climate-related disruptions to schooling can also contribute to rising child marriage rates. To underscore the scale of the problem, Watson cited a 2023 study by Save the Children estimating that an additional 10 million girls are at risk of climate-related child marriage by 2050. She called on policymakers to engage with and amplify the voices of those working at the grassroots level to address this urgent issue.
Udeh began by presenting an overview of the various ways climate change negatively impacts sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), with a particular focus on maternal, newborn, and child health. He outlined the risks associated with rising temperatures, increased air pollution, and shifting patterns of vector-borne diseases like malaria and Zika. Udeh also addressed the heightened vulnerability to gender-based violence, noting that a recent UNFPA research indicates that domestic violence in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to triple by 2060 due to the epidemic of extreme heat and stalled socio-economic development. Additionally, he highlighted the persistence of harmful practices such as female genital mutilation, and the worsening effects of poverty and food insecurity—all of which are exacerbated by climate change.
In the second part of his presentation, Udeh discussed insights from the recent UNFPA 2023 report, Taking Stock: Sexual and Reproductive and Health and Rights in Climate Commitments: A Global Review. The report analyzed references to SRHR and related themes in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of 119 countries. The findings revealed that SRHR was seldom included in climate commitments, indicating significant room for improvement. Among the few countries that did integrate SRHR, the most common references were to maternal and newborn health, as well as gender-based violence. Notably, only one mention was made of harmful practices, specifically early marriage, and there was no mention of safe abortion.
Concluding his presentation, Udeh emphasized the urgent need for increased awareness, funding, and country-level evidence on the impact of climate change on SRHR. Looking ahead to COP29, he urged policymakers to ensure that climate adaptation policies adopt an intersectional, multi-pronged approach, addressing the connections between SRHR, gender-based violence, and climate change. He also called for greater allocation of climate financing for women and girls and advocated for more support to empower young people to meaningfully participate in formal climate policy processes.
Following the presentations, the audience engaged in discussion with the speakers. Conversations covered a range of issues, including concrete actions Geneva-based actors can take to advance SRHR, the urgent need for gender experts to be involved in climate meetings such as COP29, and the continued relevance of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
This event was part of the IGC 'Lunch and Learn' series, which aims to foster interactions between the IGC community, experts, academics, and activists. It is made possible by a grant from the US Mission and serves as a platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange. The events are open to IGC focal points, Champions, and the broader public, including students.
Catch the highlights: