Opinion: Addressing the Toll of Climate Change on Women’s Health

Jul 17, 2023 | Natasha Sunderji, Ragini Ahluwalia, and Latika Khurana
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In 2022, altered weather and rain patterns pushed Kenya into its worst drought in 40 years. Crop and livestock losses greatly restricted income and food access for rural communities, with women hit the hardest through exposure to malnutrition, dehydration, and extreme heat as they searched for resources such as safe drinking water. The crisis was exacerbated by the mass migration of thousands of East Africans, increasing the risk of resource-based conflicts and disease. This led to an alarming rise in gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, and child marriage.