Due to drought, girls here are often forced into marriage at a young age: Miss Climate Kenya !

Due to drought, girls here are often forced into marriage at a young age : Dorcas Naishorua, Miss Climate Kenya!

Kakali Das

Climate change is not limited to rising temperatures and sea levels; its effects are far-reaching and extend across various aspects of the environment and human life.

Let’s explore how climate change impacts women more significantly than men. Instead of focusing on the macro-level effects on our planet, we should examine its implications on a smaller scale within our society.

Scientists have been closely examining the aftermath of weather catastrophes, ranging from floods and droughts to cyclones and heat waves. While many similarities can be observed, one peculiar pattern consistently emerges across every natural disaster worldwide.

A comprehensive review has revealed that extreme weather events often lead to increased episodes of gender-based violence, particularly physical, sexual, and domestic abuse of women. These weather-related crises tend to disproportionately impact the poor.

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Households with lower economic and social status are particularly vulnerable to weather phenomena. These individuals often reside in homes that are not disaster-proof. With their precarious, hand-to-mouth living conditions, they lack the financial resources to rebuild what has been lost, leading to significant mental stress, substance abuse, and food insecurity. This situation creates a perfect storm for increased gender-based violence.

Let’s look at a few examples from various countries, starting with Bangladesh. This densely populated, low-lying nation faces devastating floods year after year. Each time a flood occurs, it has been observed that girls are often forced into early marriages, frequently before reaching the legal age. For impoverished families, this practice represents one month less to feed their households.

Similarly, in regions of sub-Saharan Africa, prolonged droughts have led to increased food insecurity, pushing families to prioritize marrying off their daughters at a young age to alleviate economic pressures. In countries like India, climate-related disasters such as cyclones and floods often displace women and girls, making them more susceptible to gender-based violence and limiting their access to education and healthcare.

The loss of crops and the destruction of homes put the futures of these young girls at significant risk. It’s important to note that this is not an isolated incident; such challenges are not confined to specific regions but are a global concern.

In various regions of Kenya, young girls are often married off at an early age during times of drought. These girls face additional pressure to marry without their consent and are frequently forced to abandon their education due to the loss of household income caused by drought and other climate-related challenges.

In an interview with Mahabahu, Dorcas Naishorua, Miss Climate Kenya and a climate activist, stated, “Whenever there is drought, women face the greatest threat. In nearly every family in my County, girls are forced to marry at an early age.”

“I had to leave my education at one point so my younger sister could continue her studies. Now, my family is considering marrying me off as soon as possible,” she added.

Women worldwide are disproportionately affected by climate change, as are individuals from gender minority groups who often face discrimination. Cyclone Winston, which struck Fiji in 2016, was perceived by some as a manifestation of divine wrath directed at the LGBTQ community.

Even in the United States, a country that prides itself on being the leader of the free world, there has been insufficient focus on studying how climate change and climate-related disasters disproportionately affect women and sexual minorities.

Consider this: in 2005, Hurricane Katrina was viewed by some as a backlash against gay communities. Conservatives in the United States openly blamed gay and lesbian couples for provoking God’s wrath, which they claimed resulted in the disaster and destruction caused by the hurricane.

Numerous cases have been reported where transgender individuals faced threats in relief shelters or were even denied access to essential supplies such as relief resources.

The reasons extreme weather events lead to gender-based challenges vary across the globe and differ between cultures. For instance, the impact of drought on women in India is somewhat different from its effects on women in Africa. However, one constant remains: women consistently bear the brunt of these challenges.

This comprehensive analysis highlights the connection between two critical issues and serves as a stark reminder of the profound and diverse ways climate change impacts our society.

Maggie Rodriguez, a science and climate journalist told Wion that, beyond the issue of gender-based violence, women are disproportionately affected by climate change overall. For instance, consider the young girls and women in Africa and Asia who are responsible for fetching water for their families.

Due to climate change, they often have to travel longer distances to find water, which increases their exposure to danger. With dwindling water sources, women face a heightened risk of violence as they become more vulnerable during their journeys.

During severe droughts, women are often the first to feel the impact because they primarily serve as caregivers in their households. They rely on water for cooking, washing clothes, caring for children, and cleaning their homes, making them acutely aware of water scarcity and its consequences.

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