Protecting Women’s and Children’s Health From a Changing Climate

The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report notes that up to 2050, the main impact of climate change on health will be an increase in illness and deaths related to the environment. This means people who are already vulnerable to diarrhoea, malaria and undernutrition will be at increased risk from the harmful effects of climate change on water, food and transmission of diseases by insects. There is also an increased risk of illness and death from many types of extreme weather events, emergencies and disasters. Those who are most at risk include marginalized populations due to geography, age, gender, ethnicity, displacement, disability and socioeconomic status. Among these groups, pregnant and lactating women and children will be particularly vulnerable. For women whose livelihoods depend on the environment, including those in rural and tribal populations, climate change will intensify loss of land and unemployment. As many as three million neonatal deaths and stillbirths are attributable to poor maternal health, particularly from poor nutrition and infectious diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 99% of deaths related to climate change occur in low- and middle-income countries and of these deaths, 80% occur among children.