Gender, Health and Environment

The impacts of climate change are acutely felt in Uganda and across the globe. The increased frequency, scale, intensity, and severity of extreme weather events have deeply affected people’s lives, rendering communities on the frontlines more vulnerable, particularly women and girls. Climate change and related emergencies disrupt health and protection services, significantly impacting the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of women and girls, often neglected but crucial consequences.

Climate change manifests far reaching impacts on displacement of people coupled with loss and damage which is highly related to severe mental health outcomes; changing disease patterns (increased prevalence of zoonoses); reduced lifespan/deaths directly during climate change events or indirectly as a result of the events; water insecurity that increases the prevalence of water-borne diseases; destruction of infrastructure including roads, bridges, schools, and health facilities); changes in women’s menstrual cycles due to high temperatures; increased teenage pregnancies, forced marriages, gender-based violence; discomfort and miscarriages among pregnant women; and contribution towards maternal deaths and infant mortality due to limited access to health services (Regenerate Africa, 2024).

Climate change is a recognized multiplier of health vulnerabilities for women and young people. The National Risk and Vulnerability Atlas of Uganda identifies prolonged droughts, floods, landslides, windstorms, hailstorms, and lightning as major climate-induced hazards that directly and indirectly disrupt and threaten various sectors, including agricultural productivity, livelihoods, ecosystems, and the health and well-being of millions of people. According to ND-GAIN, Uganda is the 13th most vulnerable nation globally, with this vulnerability accentuated by the population’s high dependence on climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and forestry.

Regenerate Africa’s Thematic Area on Gender, Health, and Environment operates dynamically at various levels, from sub-national to international. It strategically navigates the intricate connections between population dynamics, gender, health (FP/SRHR), and the evolving climate. Acknowledging the disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations like women and girls, the thematic area adopts a comprehensive approach to cultivate resilience, inclusivity, and sustainable practices, emphasizing an intersectional approach to climate action that incorporates the needs and priorities of women.

With most programmes being implemented in silos, Regenerate Africa places a sharp focus on integration with this thematic area intertwining gender, family planning, and reproductive health initiatives with conservation and natural resource management actions. Emphasizing health, SRHR/FP, and gender challenges exacerbated by climate change, the thematic area incorporates gender-sensitive and health-focused considerations into adaptation strategies at local, national, regional, and international levels. This approach aims to empower the different landscapes to promote gender equality, enhance reproductive health outcomes, and drive community-led climate action in both policy and practice. Ultimately, these efforts contribute to forging a more equitable and sustainable future.