INVESTMENT PRIORITIES
Policy & Governance
Challenge
Globally, most Ministries of Health are not equipped to consider and plan for the gendered health impacts of climate change. On the climate side, women’s health and/or gender are often not mentioned in National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). Across the board, women are frequently excluded from leadership roles and decision-making.
Opportunity to advance gender equality and SRHR
By mainstreaming gender and women’s health considerations into national adaptation planning, leaders can address the SRHR risks faced by women and girls due to climate change. It is one of the most important policy actions a country can take to uphold gender equality in climate adaptation efforts.
Recommended investments
Support local gender and health advocacy groups to mainstream SRHR in local and national adaptation plans.
Support private-public sector funding for incubators or accelerators to develop and implement innovative, locally-driven SRH and climate resilience solutions that build on activities outlined in the country’s NAP.
Invest in training and mentorship opportunities to support women’s leadership development and engagement in advocacy and policy making.
Illustrative metrics of success
Climate-resilient SRH healthcare delivery innovations are explicitly earmarked in NAP budget lines.
Activities focus on advancing women’s leadership and addressing barriers to their full participation.
NAPs include earmarked budget lines and coordinated action plans for the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for Sexual and Reproductive Health to enable effective respond to SRH needs in the event of a climate disaster (Source: UNFPA 2020).
Case Study
Context
Kiribati’s low topography has made the country especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, especially rising sea levels. As one of the most geographically dispersed nations, routine access to healthcare services is a challenge. Due to both these challenges and low knowledge about and demand for contraception, Kiribati faces high rates of fertility and low contraceptive use. Kiribati has a high maternal mortality ratio with 90 maternal deaths per 100,000 births (Source: UNFPA 2022).
Description of Climate-Gender-SRH Innovation
When developing their National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to reduce Kiribati’s vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, the government considered key elements of SRH and gender equity, including:
Conducted a gender-disaggregated vulnerabilities assessment to explore how specific populations, especially pregnant women and adolescents, are most acutely impacted by climate change.
Reviewed existing policies and institutions to understand where the linkage between climate change, gender, and SRH could be strengthened.
Determined that high fertility and low rates of contraceptive use are contributing to climate vulnerability.
Outlined ways to strengthen health service delivery to support better coverage of SRH and MNCH services, as well as improve training of institutions and personnel to proactively assess and manage climate change-and disaster-related health risks.
(Source: Government of Kiribati)
Key Partners
National and local government officials in Kiribati
Community-based organizations
Gender experts
Private sector entities
Federal German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)