Facebook
Hi, I’m Blessing! I’ve been here attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP17) advocating for sexual and reproductive health and rights to be a priority in the climate change discussions. So far, this has been a great opportunity for me to learn and be heard. To a lot of people, climate change can be understood from different perspectives-- directly through floods or hurricanes, or indirectly through health, infrastructure or development. But, often times, a very important part of climate change is neglected and that is how it affects women.
Women, especially in developing countries, carry the burden of providing food and water for their families and communities, making them more vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change such as food scarcity, unsanitary water and other health hazards. For example, in Nigeria, where I am from the women of the Niger delta region are mostly farmers and overtime they can no longer boast of high food productivity and portable, clean drinking water as a result of oil spills from the refinery .
Lack of access to sexual and reproductive health information and services causes more unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections including HIV and overall puts women, especially young women’s health at risk. Women’s lack of access to tools and information that can empower them to make healthy decisions for themselves and their families can make it even more difficult for them to adapt to the negative impacts of climate change.
At this point it is important that we, as youth around the globe, emphasize that any means of climate change adaptation and mitigation, including expanding access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, should not be overlooked and that is why investing in the health of women Is a very cost effective way of empowering women to be agents of change in their communities.
Now, as I’m here attending the COP17 meeting, I feel that investing in both young men and women’s health, particularly their sexual and reproductive health can be part of the solutions that we aim to achieve to ensure the right to sustainable development. By providing access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, women will be enabled to plan when and if they want to have children and better manage their resources to sustain healthier children and families.
No Comments.
[Add New Comment]