Woman: A Silent Victim of Climate Change

Aleeza Fatima

When the well is dry, we know the worth of water. This timeless saying resonates deeply with the effects of climate change. Only when the Earth begins to burn will we truly realize that we have arrived at the point of no return. Climate change is becoming a pressing issue of our time and is now prevalent all across the world. It needs no passport as it does not respect borders. It poses an absolute threat to the sustainability of human beings and puts their health, safety, and security at stake.

Despite global reluctance to acknowledge it, women are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Despite global reluctance to acknowledge it, women are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and denying the truth does not alter the fact. Due to already existing inequalities, they have to endure greater hardships during and after climate climate-related crisis. They bear the responsibility to work harder to bring their families’ lives back to normalcy. The UNICEF (2021) report titled Climate Crisis is a child rights crisis: introducing the children’s climate risks index indicates that girls aged between 10-18 are particularly at risk of being withdrawn from schools and coerced by elders to assist with domestic chores, further reinforcing gender roles and limiting their opportunities.

Climate-induced financial crisis is primarily the driving force behind the surge in domestic violence, which triggers men to vent their aggression on women. A UN spotlight initiative of April 2025 indicated that every 1 degree centigrade rise in temperature could lead to a 4.7% rise in incidents of domestic violence. Another study highlighted that during intense heat waves, gender violence can spike by nearly 28% compared to the average rate. When the women are displaced, they are at greater risk of violence, including sexual violence, said Michelle Bachelet, a UN high commissioner for human rights. Keeping these facts in view, we can discern what would happen to those who already face entrenched disparity at the hands of their partners.

Climate-related events could deprive almost 4 million girls of education.

Apart from spousal abuse, maternal health is also adversely affected by climate change. An expert review of environmental heat exposure and stillbirth in the face of climate change: clinical implications and priority issues, published in an international journal of obstetrics and gynecology, says that intense heat is linked to an increased incidence of stillbirth. Moreover, rising temperature also contributes to the spread of Arboviral diseases, an illness caused by bites of infected mosquitoes and transmitted from person to person, such as dengue fever and Zika virus, and it can severely impact the health of neonatal, particularly when contracted during pregnancy. Women with disability, and those residing in rural areas, suffer from acute consequences of climate-related health threats. Exposure to air pollution and extreme heat are associated with preterm birth, low birth weight, increased risks of gestational diabetes, and adverse mental health outcomes during pregnancy.

In areas exposed to climate change, girls are often denied access to required education as crisis-induced pressure restricts their opportunities. Their dream to become contributing members of society is trampled by patriarchal attitudes. According to the report of Malala Fund 2021, climate-related events could deprive almost 4 million girls of education, particularly those from lower and lower-middle-class backgrounds. These deprivations not only deepen gender disparity but also undermine resilience and community development in the long run.

Every 1 degree centigrade rise in temperature could lead to a 4.7% rise in incidents of domestic violence.

Climate change poses a threat to the economic security of women. Loss of health can deprive women of the required energy to fulfill their job-related responsibilities, as they need to intake a substantial amount of food if they are pregnant or suffering from any physical illness. So, if women have to face an economic crisis, then they may find it difficult to consume the required calories. A study by UN WOMEN estimated that by 2050, climate change could push 158 million women into poverty and cause 232 million to face food insecurity, figures noticeably higher than those projected for men. This statistical data highlights the crises that are faced by women due to climate change and calls for inclusive climate action.

Overall, women must not be restrained from playing their requisite role in climate mitigation strategies. According to a UN press release, they hold only one-third of decision-making positions under the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), Kyoto protocols, and Paris agreement. But as the world is now experiencing the worst repercussions of climate change, their devotion, contribution, inclusion, and recommendations in addressing the challenges of climate change will guarantee sustainable human development. And if their profound role is neglected and they are not yet considered as catalysts of growth because of traditional gender bias, during this critical juncture, then the world will suffer from exacerbated outcomes of climate change in the future, and our mission to conserve the world from the fallout of climate change risks will be in vain.

The author is a graduate of IR with a specific focus on Climate Change, currently affiliated with IPRI.