How climate change affects your child’s sexual health
By Beth Karuana Mwai
What comes to mind when you hear about the climate crisis? Perhaps you envision the catastrophic double disaster that struck Haiti in 2021 or the plight of pastoralists in Kenya whose herds are dying out due to drought.
But something rarely talked about is the profound impact climate change has on sexual and reproductive health. Across the globe the climate crisis is amplifying inequalities, determining who gets to experience a healthy pregnancy and childbirth, who can manage their menstrual period with dignity, and who has the means to access essential family planning and other sexual health products and services.
This is where sexual education, particularly when initiated by parents, can play a transformative role. By engaging in open and informed discussions with your child about sexual health, you not only enhance their understanding of how climate change intersects with these issues but also empower them with the knowledge and tools to navigate potential sexual health challenges arising from environmental shifts.
Walking along the streets of Nairobi today, the scorching sun has become a prominent and undeniable feature. While this change in weather may seem insignificant at first glance, a 2021 UN Women study revealed a significant correlation between heat exposure and the risks of low birth weight, stillbirths, and a range of childbirth complications, including infections.
Additionally, dehydration caused by increased sweating due to high temperatures is believed to trigger premature labor and prolong the duration of childbirth.
Accessibility to sexual health products and services
Girls’ sexual health relies on quality health products and friendly services. However, during climate disasters, this crucial aspect of well-being becomes compromised. For example, when there’s flooding, it can be challenging for women to purchase emergency contraceptives or visit hospitals for sexual health services.
This, in turn, exposes women to unintended pregnancies or the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Conversely, in drought-stricken regions, inadequate access to water and sanitation facilities leads to poor menstrual hygiene management, placing women at risk of reproductive tract infections and restricting their mobility during menstruation.
Furthermore we have recently witnessed the alarming redirection of resources and focus away from sexual health towards disaster management.
This trend jeopardizes sexual health education services and undermines the foundations of a system that should prioritize individuals’ well-being in times of crisis.
Gender-based violence
Climate change worsens gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, human trafficking, and child marriage. For instance, in Northern Kenya, frequent droughts and locust infestations, linked to climate change, have depleted water sources and grazing lands, leading to disease, hunger, and the death of livestock.
In these dire circumstances, families resort to extreme measures – pulling daughters from school for early marriages in exchange for dowries.
Needless to say, when individuals and communities are struggling to meet their basic needs, sexual health education becomes deprioritized. The focus often shifts to survival and immediate concerns.
Climate crisis, migration and HIV management
Without urgent climate action, 216+ million people may become climate migrants by 2050. This mass displacement has worrisome implications, as estimates indicate that climate change could result in 11.6 to 16 million additional HIV cases by 2050 in 25 Sub-Saharan African countries.
The prediction is based on findings that higher temperatures in these regions lead to increased male migration and engagement in sex markets.
Regrettably, developed nations have already failed to fully deliver on their 2009 pledge to provide USD100 billion per year in climate financing for poorer countries disproportionately affected by climate change, despite having contributed the least to greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, the situation is not improving.
Kenya is very vulnerable to climate change. According to the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenya’s temperature is projected to rise by up to 2.5ºC between 2000 and 2050, accompanied by more intense and less predictable rainfall patterns.
What can you do?
Education empowers individuals to make informed choices, transforming attitudes and behaviors. By teaching young people about climate change and climate crisis we equip them with an understanding of how these issues jeopardize resources vital for nurturing sexual health.
Education serves as a catalyst for action, particularly among motivated young people. Armed with facts, they can dispel fear and chart a clear path towards safeguarding their sexual health amidst rapid climate change.
But how then can we open these discussions?
Practically having conversations about sexual health and climate change with children involves creating an open and welcoming environment for discussion. Parents can set the table for these important talks by initiating the dialogue in a non-judgmental and age-appropriate manner. Additionally, encouraging your child to be open and honest about their questions, concerns, and observations fosters a sense of trust and comfort.
Encouraging multiple conversations on sexual health and climate change helps deepen children’s understanding and allows parents to clarify any doubts or misconceptions that may arise. These conversations can cover a wide range of subjects, such as how climate change affects young girls and women’s sexual health, the importance of environmental conservation, what to do when caught up in a climate crisis, and the significance of responsible decision-making.
Discussing sexual education equips children to make informed choices about their reproductive health and relationships, while emphasizing environmental conservation and sustainable practices instills a sense of responsibility towards the planet. As a parent, taking this proactive approach indirectly supports your child’s sexual health and contributes to building a more sustainable and equitable future for all. By engaging in these vital conversations, we empower our children to become advocates for their own well-being and for the planet they will inherit.