Between Drought and Dignity: How Climate Change Threatens Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves disproportionately affect those who already face structural barriers to health, safety, and autonomy. Climate change negatively impacts maternal and neonatal health, disrupts access to contraception and essential SRHR services, and places additional strain on fragile health systems, in particularly in humanitarian and crisis settings. At the same time, climate stressors are linked to rising levels of gender-based violence and harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation.

Vulnerability to climate change is shaped by gender, sexuality, age, wealth, indigeneity, and race. There is a significant overlap between populations most affected by climate change and those facing persistent socioeconomic, cultural, and political barriers to the realization of their SRHR. Ignoring these intersections risks reinforcing cycles of inequality and exclusion.

Investments in SRHR are therefore not only a health priority, but a critical climate adaptation and resilience strategy. Strengthening health systems, ensuring continuity of SRHR services during and after climate-related disasters, and addressing menstrual hygiene management enhance resilience, adaptive capacity, and meaningful participation of girls and women in climate action.