11.10.2022
UN says climate crisis escalates violence against women worldwide
Photo by: HarjeetSinghNarang / iStock
Climate change has proven to be the most significant factor contributing to rising levels of violence against girls and women. This was stated by the UN Special Rapporteur, Rim Alsalem, during her address to the UN General Assembly.
The independent expert stressed that the problem has far-reaching implications for new and existing forms of gender inequality. According to her, the combined effect of the climate crisis, environmental degradation and violence violates all aspects of the rights of women inhabitants of our planet.
The UN rapporteur noted that violence against women and girls also harms the economy and socio-political processes. It accompanies armed conflicts, displacement of people and scarcity of resources.
“Climate change is not only an environmental crisis but also an issue of justice, prosperity and gender equality, inextricably linked to and affected by structural inequalities and discrimination,” added Rim Alsalem.
New evidence shows that the negative impacts of climate change around the world exacerbate all types of gender-based violence, from physical to psychological and economic violence, all the while limiting the availability and effectiveness of protection mechanisms and further weakening the global capacity to prevent violence.
“When slow-onset or sudden-onset disasters hit, they deprive people of their livelihoods. Communities may resort to negative coping mechanisms: human trafficking, sexual exploitation, as well as harmful practices — early and child marriage, forced withdrawal of children from schools. All this forces women and girls to choose between extremely risky survival options,” said the UN Special Rapporteur.
The expert identified groups of women at particular risk of experiencing violence. They are members of environmental movements, indigenous women, elderly women, women with disabilities, refugees and women from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. They are the hardest to achieve any kind of protection for their lives, health and rights.
Rim Alsalem called on the international community to redouble efforts to fight for gender equality and against climate change in order to reduce the risk of crises leading to violence and other human rights violations.
“The well-being and rights of women and girls should not be secondary, but should be at the heart of policy responses,” she concluded.
Cover photo: Koh Sze Kiat / iStock
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